Flight-period Central Europe: from July to September

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Imago

Conservation Status in Austria: Regional Extinct (RE)

  NE DD LC NT VU EN CR RE EX
Austria
Vienna - Austria

English:Scarce Tortoiseshell
German:
Danish:
Date:13/07/2013
Location:Austria, Niederösterreich, Ober-Danegg
 
Copyright:Per Hoffmann Olsen
Camera:Canon EOS 50D
Lens:Sigma 150mm 1:2.8 APO Macro
 
Exposure:1/250
Aperture:f/5.6
ISO:200

Nymphalis xanthomelas

Identification help

This species is very rare in Austria. During the 2014 spring and summer a massive migration of N. xanthomelas was observed in the North-West of Europe. Austria is not exactly in the Nord-West of Europe, and this photo was taken in 2013 - so, anyway.

In the field its difficult to distinguish between a polychloros and xanthomelas. If you compare wings, like in this comparison photo, the jagged forewing and the blue line on the backwing make it the N. xanthomelas - to the right the you see N. polychloros.

Nymphalis polychloros and xanthomelas compared

Nymphalis_poly_xanthos_comments.jpg

Use mouse-over to highlight.

I stumbled upon this in Austria in July 2013 - took it as the N. polychloros. First in 2017 I looked at it again - and was surprised to find the N. xanthomelas.

 

Please note: Although the flight-period is around July until September, hibernated species could appear in May.

 

Read more about the massive migration of 2014 here: Nymphalis xanthomelas (Esper, 1781) French with English abstract.

Identification Link:

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