FREYER'S GRAYLING
This butterfly is commonly found on the South Balkan peninsula, but in the Ionian Sea, it is supposedly restricted to Lefkas. It is here on Kefalonia, I have seen it a few times. The upper wings on graylings are rarely seen, as they close their wings at rest. On the forewings there are 2 white dots between the eye spots on the upper and lower wings. On the hindwing on the underside, there are 2 bold zig-zag lines which differentiate this species from the other graylings. The background colour is a mottled grey. Both sexes have similar colouring.
Freyer’s grayling can be found in many habitats, including sparse coastal woodlands, dense thickets, orchards, olive groves, dry riverbeds, and sparsely wooded rocky slopes. When at rest, they do seem to prefer the sunnier side of the tree or rock. They can also be seen flying in the early evening and are attracted to lights. The larva feeds on a variety of grasses. The adults fly from June to October.
