Erebia melampus (Fuessly, 1775)

Host plants:
Grasses like fescue or Poa species.

Habitat:
Erebia melampus is distributed from about 900m up to more than 2200m above sea level. At low altitudes, it occurs in pastures and larger, low growing clearings, for example together with Erebia euryale. At high altitudes it occurs on mats, pastures and in the grass rich dwarf shrub belt. Erebia melampus has relatively low requirements.

Life cycle:
Erebia melampus flies in a single generation from late June to early September. The first beige caterpillars hibernate according to literature in the second stage and are green after the last moult in June. In breeding, they can reach pupation without hibernation.

Endangerment: -

Endangerment factors:
Erebia melampus is endemic to the Alps, where it is widespread and often common. In Germany however, it is only present in the Allgäu Alps (SW-Bavaria) and absent further east.