Wall Brown

• Latin name: Lasiommata megera
• Family group: Browns
• Countries: England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
• Size: Medium

Resident

Declining in some inland areas, slight spread in north of Britain.

The Wall is aptly named after its habit of basking on walls, rocks, and stony places. The delicately patterned light brown undersides provide good camouflage against a stony or sandy surface. In hot weather, males patrol fast and low over the ground, seeking out females. In cooler weather, they will bask in sunny spots and fly up to intercept females, or to drive off other males.

The Wall is widely distributed, but rarely occurs in large numbers. Over the last decade, it has declined substantially in many inland areas of central England and Northern Ireland.

Conservation status

• UK BAP status: Priority Species (for research only)
• Butterfly Conservation priority: high
• European threat status: not threatened

European/world range

Extends across most of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, between 33 B0N and 55 B0N, and into southern Scandinavia. The range appears to be expanding northwards in Europe, although declines have been reported in several countries.

Foodplants

Various grasses are used, including Tor-grass (Brachypodium pinnatum), False Brome (B. sylvaticum), Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata), bents (Agrostis spp.), Wavy Hair-grass (Deschampsia flexuosa), and Yorkshire-fog (Holcus lanatus).

Habitat

The Wall breeds in short, open grassland where the turf is broken or stony. It is found in dunes and other coastal habitats (including vegetated undercliffs and rocky foreshores) as well as disturbed land (including railway embankments and cuttings), disused quarries, derelict land, and gardens.