Red-disked Alpine
(Erebia discoidalis)
Red-disked Alpine sightings, by week (about)
Click to enlargeRiley Lake Wildlife Area, Price Co., WI. May 17, 2007.
Click to enlargeRiley Lake Wildlife Area, Price Co., WI. May 17, 2007.
In Wisconsin this species is a spring butterfly of large open bogs. This butterfly is probably more common than it seems, but the habitat is not the easiest to visit and their flight season is very short, which makes this species a real treat to see.
Identifying characteristics: Below, this butterfly is a brownish butterfly with many grayish white scales toward the wing margins, that are similar to the light scaling on the Dusted Skipper, but looks quite different on this larger butterfly. When the forewing is held more aloft a reddish area in the middle of this wing is obvious. Notice the top photo doesn’t show this reddish area, while it is present in the bottom photo. From above this butterfly is brown with the area of red in the middle of the forewing. Unlike the other satyrs in Wisconsin, this one does not have any eyespots.
Similar species: None in Wisconsin.
Habitat: Large open bogs.
Flight: One generation, from mid-May through the first week in June.
Abundance: This is not a common species in Wisconsin but likely more abundant than the records indicate.
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Red-disked Alpine
Erebia discoidalis