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Coenonympha gardetta - Alpine Heath

Coenonympha-gardetta-alpine-heath- | PTKbutterflies
Coenonympha-gardetta-alpine-heath- | PTKbutterflies
Coenonympha-gardetta-alpine-heath- | PTKbutterflies

This high Alpine species is not uncommon. The black eyelets lack a yellow ring around them, distinguishing the from darwiniana but many intermediate forms seem to be around, and "pure" gardetta has to be sought out. Like many of the "Heaths" they are quite variable as the selection below go to show. 

I have spent many happy hours with this species providing a target for an archetypical Alpine butterfly photograph.

Coenonympha-gardetta-alpine-heath- | PTKbutterflies
Coenonympha-gardetta-alpine-heath- | PTKbutterflies
Coenonympha-gardetta-alpine-heath- | PTKbutterflies
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