| Family | Nymphalidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Satyrinae |
| Genus | Erebia |
| Species | melampus |
| Authority | (Fuessly, 1775) |
| English Name | Lesser Mountain Ringlet |
| European Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
|---|---|
| EU 27 Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
| European Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| EU 27 Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| Habitats Directive | |
| Bern Convention | |
| CITES |
The Lesser Mountain Ringlet occurs in many different biotopes. It can be found on wet grasslands, pastures and meadows, on dry, nutrient-poor grasslands in light woodland, on dry grasslands with bracken, and above the tree-line on alpine grasslands. Because of the wide choice in biotope, this butterfly is common throughout the Alps. In the time up to hibernation, the caterpillars feed during the day. After hibernating, they are only active at night. They can be found on Wood Meadow-grass (Poa nemoralis), Sweet Vernal-grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), and Sheep’s Fescue (Festuca ovina). The development from egg to butterfly takes one year.
Austria / France / France: Mainland / Germany / Italy / Italy: Mainland / Liechtenstein / Switzerland /