InsectNet forum

In Britain this butterfly is known as the Large Heath. It is predominantly a northern & local species here in keeping with where it's peat bog habitats are to be found.
These are bred specimens originating from Hatfield Chase in South Yorkshire.
The paler specimens in the last picture are a form called lunaris.
I collected this species in Fremont California in July 1987. There the specimens are almost white.

Pair of Coenonympha tullia california for comparison
Fremont California 10th July 1987.

daveuk wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 10:46 am Pair of Coenonympha tullia california for comparison
Fremont California 10th July 1987.

Coenonympha california is treated as a separate species not a subspecies of tullia.

For how long Paul? It was classed as a subspecies when I collected it I'm sure.
Have checked wikipedia & it is still classed as a subspeciesof C tullia there.

That's a lovely little Satyrid species in it's variations of brown coloration and eyespots.

Do the California specimens feed on something different which gives them a (paler) color or perhaps does that have something to do with the dryer climate?

I've been fortunate to acquire quite a large series of telling, here are a few pictures of mine including one from the great L W Newman,

A few more.

Trehopr1 wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 3:27 pm That's a lovely little Satyrid species in it's variations of brown coloration and eyespots.

Do the California specimens feed on something different which gives them a (paler) color or perhaps does that have something to do with the dryer climate?

I have no idea. Paul stated earlier in this thread that the one found in California is now a full species.

Yorky wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:51 pm I've been fortunate to acquire quite a large series of telling, here are a few pictures of mine including one from the great L W Newman,

Lovely specimens Dunc.

Actually C.california inhabits most of the west cost.
I collected one of the subspecies benjamini in Kananaskis Alberta.

Paul K wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:45 pm Actually C.california inhabits most of the west cost.
I collected one of the subspecies benjamini in Kananaskis Alberta.

Thanks for the information Paul. As I said earlier wikipedia & several publications are still treating it as a subspecies of tullia. Do you know when it was recognised as a full species?

No , I don't.

At Butterflies of America they state: "DNA data from Kodandaramaiah & Wahlberg (2009) suggest that C. tullia is a Palearctic species distinct from American taxa".

This would be this paper I think: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/ ... .2009.1303

Unfortunately it's behind a paywall. Based on this somebody must have re-established the older name Coenonympha california Westwood, 1851.

I had some samples from various states and regular tullia from Europe and I was always thinking - no way! - . I had about a third of all the Coenonympha species there was.