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Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007, and must not be published in part or in whole elsewhere without prior written permission from the author.
Butterflies of Britain & Europe
 
Meadow Brown
Maniola jurtina LINNAEUS, 1758
Family - NYMPHALIDAE
subfamily - SATYRINAE
Tribe - SATYRINI
 
 introduction | habitats | lifecycle | adult behaviour
 
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina, female, Stockbridge Down, Hampshire, England
 
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina, male, Stockbridge Down, Hampshire, England
 
Introduction
 
The Meadow Brown is one of the commonest and most widespread species in Europe, absent only from sub-arctic areas of Scandinavia. Beyond Europe it occurs in Morocco, Algeria, Turkey, the Middle East, and eastward to the Urals and western Siberia.
 
There are a number of similar species which occur on Mediterranean islands ( Maniola megala, M. chia, M. halicarnassus & M. nurag ), in northern Africa ( Pyronia janiroides & Hyponephele moroccana ) or the Middle East ( Maniola telmessia, Hyponephele lycaon & H. lupina ), but the Meadow Brown cannot be confused with any other British species.
 
Meadow Browns are subject to a degree of variation in the extent and brightness of the orange areas on the upper wing surface, particularly in the females, in which the orange suffusion spreads across into the basal area.
 
It is also common to find pathologically aberrant specimens, particularly females, which are marked with irregular and asymmetrical whitish patches on the uppersides.
 
Habitats
 
In Britain the butterfly is adapted to a wide range of grassy habitats, being found in the greatest numbers on ungrazed calcareous grasslands, woodland glades and grassy rides, damp heathlands, undercliffs, hay meadows, road verges, set-aside farmland, and along hedgerows. In these habitats populations often run into several hundreds or even into thousands.
 
Smaller populations occur on grazed grasslands, cliff tops, coppiced woodlands, and in long established unkempt gardens.
 
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina, female, Old Winchester Hill NNR, Hampshire, England
 
Lifecycle
 
The Meadow Brown is single brooded ( even in southern Europe and north Africa ), but has a very protracted emergence beginning in early June and extending into September. There is no evidence to support the theory that the butterfly is double brooded. Very long flight seasons are a feature of species which produce large populations. Small populations at marginal sites tend to have significantly shorter flight seasons.
 
The eggs are spherical, straw coloured, with reddish blotches. They are laid singly on or amongst grasses, sometimes glued to stems or grass blades, but often just dropped into the vegetation by perching females.
 
The caterpillars hatch after about 14 days. They feed on a wide range of grasses among which are Festuca ovina, Brachypodium pinnatum, Holcus lanatus and Agrostis setacea, but are most commonly associated with Poa pratensis ( meadow grass ), avoiding the coarser leaves.
 
Those caterpillars which hatch in June or early July feed up quite slowly, reaching their 3rd instar in early October. The offspring of later-emerging adults may not hatch until late August or September, but feed up more quickly, reaching almost the same size as the early starters when they enter hibernation in October. The caterpillars over-winter individually at the base of grass clumps, and awaken to resume feeding in mid-March.
 
The over-wintered larvae develop at various rates, achieving full growth at sometime between May and late August. When fully grown they are bright green with a dark stripe along the back and pale lines along the sides. They feed nocturnally, sitting near the top of grass stems, but hide during daylight deep in the tussocks.
 
The pupae are a slightly bluish shade of green, with prominent black stripes on the wing cases and dark dots along the dorsal surface. Dark chestnut or blackish forms also occur. They are suspended from grass stems or blades, with the shrivelled larval skin still attached to the cremaster. The pupal stage lasts about 3 weeks.
 
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina, male, Stockbridge Down, Hampshire, England
 
Adult behaviour

 

Meadow Browns spend long periods nectaring, usually with their wings closed, on a wide variety of wild flowers including knapweeds, thistles, heathers, bramble blossom, ragwort, hogweed, small scabious, devil's bit scabious, privet, wild basil, marjoram, hawkbit and hemp agrimony.

 

When driving slowly alongside a hedgerow in Buckinghamshire in June 2006, I inadvertently disturbed a large gathering of nectaring Meadow Browns, several hundred of which "exploded" into flight, dispersing quickly in various directions. After about half an hour the assembly had returned to resume nectaring on the abundant bramble and privet blossom.

 

In hazy or weak sunlight the butterflies bask on bushes, or amongst grasses, but when conditions are overcast or cool they hide amongst low vegetation.

 

Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina, copulating pair, Old Winchester Hill NNR, Hampshire

 

Copulation occurs following a very brief courtship ritual, in which the female adopts a fluttering and gliding flight just above the grasses, while the male flutters very closely behind her, almost making physical contact during flight. Copulated pairs readily take flight if disturbed, with the female carrying the male.

 

Meadow Browns have often been found copulated with other Satyrine species including Gatekeeper, Ringlet and Marbled White, and on rare occasions have even been known to copulate with Small Tortoiseshells.

 

It is very common to find adults infested with tiny red mites which attach themselves to the head, thorax or legs of the butterflies. These Arachnids pierce the soft membrane between the segments, and feed on the bodily fluids, but do not appear to cause any significant harm to their hosts. The mites, Trombidium breei, are particularly common at chalk grassland sites, where they also attack Marbled Whites, Common Blues, Chalkhill Blues and Small Skippers.

 
                                                       
Almost every British and European species of butterfly is declining rapidly in numbers, due in most cases to loss or degradation of habitats.
 
You can help to reverse the decline by supporting conservation organisations which purchase and manage habitats as nature reserves, and which lobby government at local, national and international levels, often very successfully, to bring about changes in farming, forestry and urban development policies.
 
Please contact the conservation organisations for advice on how you can help protect British and European butterflies and their habitats. You may be able to offer practical help e.g. by monitoring butterfly populations or helping to manage nature reserves. Donations to these organisations enable them to employ ecologists and biologists. Even if you are unable to provide such help, merely having your name on the membership list can be a powerful tool for conservation organisations wishing to demonstrate the levels of support they have for their policies.

 

 
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
 
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