Genus APHANTOPUS, Wallengren , 1853 
THE RINGLET 
Aphantopus hypcranthus (Linn., 1758). 
(Plate II, facing page 14) 
The sombre-tinted Ringlet, like the Meadow Brown, inay 
be met with peacefully fluttering along a woodland ride or 
wayside during gloomy weather or even in a gentle summer 
shower. 
Haunts. The Ringlet is a locally-abundant species of the 
woodlands ; its favourite haunts are the openings, outskirts 
and rides in woods, also rough hedgerows and waysides. It 
abounds on bramble blossoms, which are very attractive to 
this butterfly. 
Distribution. This butterfly is generally distributed and 
very abundant in certain localities in the southern English 
counties and Wales, becoming less numerous in the north, 
and has disappeared from some places where it was formerly 
plentiful. In Scotland it is common in the south and is 
found as far north as Aberdeenshire and Ross. In Ireland 
it is plentiful throughout the country in all suitable localities. 
Abroad its range extends through Europe, northern Asia and 
Japan. 
Time of Appearance. This is essentially a single-brooded 
species, appearing on the wing from the end of June until 
the middle of August. 
Hibernation. The winter months are passed in the larval 
state, but hibernation is not complete, as it feeds at times 
during mild weather. It enters into hibernation in October 
after its second moult. 
Egg; and Egg Laying. Like the Marbled White, the Ringlet 
does not attach its eggs to anything. The female drops her 
eggs at random while she is settled on a grass blade, so that 
they simply fall to the ground and remain at the base of the 
grass stems. 
The egg is 0*80 mm. wide at the basfe and rather less in 
height; it is dome-shaped with the base deeply concave. 
The surface is glassy, with a delicately-reticulated honeycomb 
pattern. When lirst laid, the colour is pale primrose-yellow, 
gradually deepening to a pale lilac-buff when a week old. 
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