Coenonympha pamphilus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms/other combinations:
inclusive Coenonympha lyllus

Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (Künzelsau, Schloss Stetten, S-Germany, August 2012) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (Northern Greece) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (e.l. Provence, France 2010) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (Abruzzes, L'Aquila, May 2013) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (Abruzzes, L'Aquila, May 2013) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (Camargue, mid-October 2013) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (Camargue, mid-October 2013) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (eastern Swabian Alb, May 2013) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Adult (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Male, from a heavily striped pupa (e.l., S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Male, from a heavily striped pupa (e.l., S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Imago (e.p., Italy, South Tyrol, Taufers, pupa found in April 2016) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Egg (S-Germany, Upper Rhine Valley S of Karlsruhe, early May 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Egg (S-Germany, Isny, 19. May 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Egg after some days (S-Germany, Upper Rhine Valley S of Karlsruhe, early May 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Egg after some days (S-Germany, Upper Rhine Valley S of Karlsruhe, early May 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Egg after some days (S-Germany, Isny, oviposition 19. May 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L1 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L1 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L1 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L1 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L2 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L2 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L2 in the end of this instar (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L3 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L3 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L3 at the end of hibernation (S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L3 after hibernation (S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L3 at the end of this instar (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L3 at the end of this instar (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4, final instar (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4, final instar (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Isny, 2020) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4, mature (N-Italy, South Tyrol, Taufers, 02. April 2017) [M] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4, mature (N-Italy, South Tyrol, Taufers, 02. April 2017) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva L4 (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva [M] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva (Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [M] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva (Provence, France, April 2010) [M] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva (Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva (Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larva [M] Coenonympha pamphilus: Pupa, found in a grass tuft (France, Massif Central, Mont Lozère, June 2023) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Pupa (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Pupa (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Pupa (e.l. S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, larvae found in early March 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Pupa [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Pupa (e.l. Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Pupa (e.l. Provence, France 2010) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Pupa prior to emergence [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Larval habitat at an open patch in light woodland near a juniper grassland. Here I recorded both larvae of C. pamphilus and C. arcania (S-Germany, Heidenheim/Brenz, early March 2024) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Habitat (S-Germany, Upper Rhine Valley S of Karlsruhe, early May 2020) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Habitat in a nutrient-poor grassland on the eastern Swabian Alb (2006) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Habitat in a extensive, mesophilic, ruderal grassland in northern Baden-Württemberg (August 2012) [N]


Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Male (Spain, Malaga, Ronda, Sierra de las Nieves, March 2019) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Male (Spain, Malaga, Ronda, Sierra de las Nieves, March 2019) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Male (Spain, Malaga, Ronda, Sierra de las Nieves, March 2019) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Flying imago (Spain, Malaga, Ronda, Sierra de las Nieves, March 2019) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Male (Spain, Cadiz, March 2019) [N] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Male (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Male (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Female (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Female (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Female (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Female (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Female (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Egg (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Egg (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Egg after some days (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Egg after some days (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Egg after some days (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Egg after some days (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Egg shortly prior to hatching (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Egg shortly prior to hatching (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L1 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L1 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L1 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L1 (e.o. Spain, Granada, Sierra de Huetor, March 2019) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L2 (e.o. Spain, Granada, Sierra de Huetor, March 2019) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L2 (e.o. Spain, Granada, Sierra de Huetor, March 2019) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L2 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L2 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L2 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L2 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L3 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L3 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L3 (e.o. Spain, Granada, Sierra de Huetor, March 2019) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L3 (e.o. Spain, Granada, Sierra de Huetor, March 2019) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L3 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L3 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 prior to pupation (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Larva L4 prior to pupation (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Pupa prior to eclosion (e.o. rearing, S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, oviposition in April 2024) [S] Coenonympha pamphilus: Taxon lyllus: Habitat (S-Spain, Jaen, Santiago de la Espada, April 2024) [N]

Host plants:
The larva feeds on grasses (Poaceae).

Habitat:
Coenonympha pamphilus inhabits open land as for example extensive meadows, fens, nutrient-poor grasslands and pastures. Sometimes it is also found in larger woodland clearings. Previously the moth was common in the agricultural fields on margins and grassy paths. There it occurs today only rarely due to intensification.

Life cycle:
Coenonympha pamphilus usually flies in three generations per year. The adults fly from April/May (in the south already from late February) to early or mid-October. The caterpillar overwinters in the penultimate instar (here L3). The pupation oftemn occurs in tufts of grass (Festuca). I recorded the pupa several times in the field.

Endangerment factors:
Coenonympha pamphilus is still the most common species of the genus in Central Europe. The butterfly is still to be observed in every extensive grassland (e.g. Swabian Alb) and often in partially dewatered fens, as well as on pastures in the foothills of the northern Alps up to around 1400m above sea level. But it is now quite rare in many other regions. Near Memmingen (Germany) it is extinct in most places and is nowadays almost only found in the vicinity of wetlands in meadows that are mown not more often than twice a year.

Remarks:
The distribution ranges from Northwest Africa across Europe and Asia to Mongolia.

In NW-Africa and at least the southern two thirds of the Iberian Peninsula, maybe also in Sicily, the taxon lyllus occurs. It shows different L1-larvae with a dark brown head capsule whereas this capsule is light in pamphilus. Other species with dark L1 head are C. corinna and C. dorus. If C. dorus had genetical influence on lyllus is speculative. Some authors see in lyllus a bona species. The real differences especially in L1 justify an own taxon. I regard it a subspecies of pamphilus. Further research is needed!



Coenonympha arcania | Coenonympha corinna | Coenonympha darwiniana | Coenonympha dorus | Coenonympha gardetta | Coenonympha glycerion | Coenonympha hero | Coenonympha leander | Coenonympha macromma | Coenonympha oedippus | Coenonympha rhodopensis | Coenonympha thyrsis | Coenonympha tullia