''Minois dryas'', the dryad, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.

Subspecies

Subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

include:"''Minois'' Hübner, [1819]"
at Markku Savela's ''Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms'' * ''Minois dryas phaedra'' (Linnaeus, 1764) (southern Alps) * ''Minois dryas bipunctatus'' (Motschulsky, 1861) (Eastern Asia and Japan) * ''Minois dryas septentrionalis'' (Wnukowsky, 1929) * ''Minois dryas shaanxiensis'' (Qian)

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in southern and central Europe up to central Asia and Japan. It prefers margins of mixed woodland and sunny grasslands with plenty of flowers, at an elevation of above sea level.Simon Coombe
Captain's European Butterfly Guide

Description

The wingspan is . The basic color of the upperside of the wings is dark brown. The females are larger and paler than the males. On each forewing there are two large eyelets with bluish pupils, while in each hindwing there is just a small eyelet. The underside of the wings is quite similar, but the eyelets on the forewings show a yellowish border and the hindwings are mainly gray brown.Euro Butterflies by Matt Rowlings
/ref> This species is rather similar to ''

Satyrus actaea ''Satyrus actaea'', the black satyr, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in South-Western Europe, Asia Minor, Syria, Iran and Baluchistan (Pakistan), Baluchistan (SW Pakistan). The length of the forewings is 24 to 28 mm. U ...

'' and ''

Satyrus ferula ''Satyrus ferula'', the great sooty satyr, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Description The length of the forewings is 25 to 30 mm. This species shows an evident sexual dimorphism and the males are much more close to each other in ...

''. In the last one the forewing eyespots centered with white. File:OBER-EXPO-008.jpg, Male File:OBER-EXPO-009.jpg, Female File:Dryad (Minois dryas) male underside Zarnesti.jpg, Male underside File:Minois dryas (female).JPG, Female underside

Biology

The butterfly is on wing from June to September depending on the location. They usually feed on nectar of scabious ('' Scabiosa'' species), hemp agrimony (''

Eupatorium cannabinum ''Eupatorium cannabinum'', commonly known as hemp-agrimony, or holy rope, is a herbaceous plant in the family Asteraceae. It is a robust Perennial plant, perennial native to many areas of Europe. The alkaloids may be present in the plant material ...

'') and other tall flowers. The larvae feed on grass species, such as ''

Molinia caerulea ''Molinia caerulea'', known by the common name purple moor-grass, is a species of grass that is native to Europe, west Asia, and north Africa. It grows in locations from the lowlands up to in the Alps. Like most grasses, it grows best in acid so ...

'', ''

Arrhenatherum elatius ''Arrhenatherum elatius'', with the common names bulbous oat grass, false oat-grass, tall oat-grass, tall meadow oat, onion couch and tuber oat-grass, is a species of perennial grass, native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. This bun ...

'', '' Oryza sativa'', '' Avena'', ''

Dactylis ''Dactylis'' is a genus of Eurasian and North African plants in the bluegrass subfamily within the grass family. ''Dactylis'' is native to North Africa, they are found throughout the world, and are an invasive species. They are known in Englis ...

'', ''

Poa ''Poa'' is a genus of about 570 species of grasses, native to the temperate regions of both hemispheres. Common names include meadow-grass (mainly in Europe and Asia), bluegrass (mainly in North America), tussock (some New Zealand species), a ...

'', '' Festuca'', '' Carex'', '' Calamagrostis'' and '' Bromus'' species.

References

External links

Lepiforum.de
* Paolo Mazzei, Daniel Morel, Raniero Panfil

{{Taxonbar, from=Q883151 Satyrini Butterflies of Europe Butterflies described in 1763 Butterflies of Asia Taxa named by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli