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Erebia gorge triopes. (54)
peter_stoeckl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Triopes.

Erebia gorge f. triopes (Speyer, 1865)

local race of the Silky Ringlet, Seidenglanz-Mohrenfalter, Moiré chamoisé, ...

Family; Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Satyrinae

Wingspan: 34 – 38 mm.

Erebia gorge, the “Silky Ringlet”, occurs in a variety of different patterns in the high regions of the Alpine chain, Gran Sasso, the Velebit, Carpatians, Tatra. The species includes a local race that shows a remarkable row of three eyespots on each forewing: f. triopes.

Triopes was first described from Bernina at the Swiss-Italian border. Also reported from Monte Baldo, Adamello, Ortler, Passo di Stelvio area – where we are here, right now, on Piz Cotschen (3026m).

Piz Cotschen, easily reached from Passo di Stelvio, offers a marvellous panoramic view to

the peaks and glaciers of Ortler

in Southern Tyrol/Alto Adige, Italy, and into Val Müstair, a mysteriously remote and lonesome part of Switzerland. In that region, with neighbouring peaks reaching up several hundreds of meters higher than that, a peak of 3026m is nothing outstanding, and so there is no such thing like the usual “Gipfelkreuz” (crucifix) on top, but just one of those probably ancient heaps of stones on a natural platform of rocks.

One particularly nice thing for us up there was the fact that the final path on the crest at 3000m above sea level was leading right along the Italian-Swiss border.

Another nice thing: To my surprise we could still see a few butterflies up there, one of them resting on a rock right here close to the peak at approx. 3000 meters, allowing me a close approach to notice its three eyespots in a row.

Another one of the same kind on the way back downwards was briefly visiting a lonesome mountain oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum sp.), giving me the chance to capture it from 2 meters distance at an elevation of approx. 2900 meters. That second observation was on the Italian side of Piz Cotschen.

The first one higher up was resting on Swiss territory.

So I am happy to dedicate this posting to our dear TN-friends from Switzerland: Anne Gattlen, Dietrich Meyer, Markus Peissard - Grüezi mitanand!

References:
Tom Tolman, Richard Lewington: Die Tagfalter Europas und Nordwestafrikas. Stuttgart 1998.
C. Jonko: European Butterflies and Moths.
http://www.lepidoptera.pl

Camera:
Top:SONY DSC-H5, 3072 x 2304 pixel, sRGB, 5mm wideangle (= 30mm at 35mm SLR), F/8, 1/320sec., ISO-100; handheld, no flash; 25.08.2008, 12:53
To the left:SONY DSC-H5, 3072 x 2304 pixel, sRGB, 18mm tele macro (= 110mm at 35mm SLR), F/8, 1/400sec.,bias -0.3, ISO-125; handheld, no flash; 25.08.2008, 12:35.
To the right: SONY DSC-H5, 3072 x 2304 pixel, sRGB, 72mm tele macro (= 456mm at 35mm SLR), F/5.6, 1/1250sec.,bias -0.3, ISO-125; handheld, no flash; 25.08.2008, 13:35.

Postwork:
Photoshop Elements, cropped, downsized to web presentation, selectively resharpened, brightness, contrast and saturation adjusted, composed into one frame.

Hope you enjoy the view.
Have a very nice day.

------------------------

P.S.: Pictures containing human beings are not very much appreciated on TN. In spite of knowing that, I decided to include one here - for three reasons:
1) A human figure may be one of the best scales in regions with nothing around but rocks.
2) The figure ascending the peak in the distance is Susanne, my dear wife. I would never even think of cloning her out.
3) We both deeply felt being part of nature up there.

Something else has been documented here: While my wife always proceeds walking her way steadily as a good mountaineer, I would stop every few minutes prostrating myself flat down on the ground in order to take pictures of some dusty flowers or wary butterflies - always staying behind. Not always funny for Susanne, my generous, brave and patient companion in life. :)
Altered Image #1

peter_stoeckl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Ortler, seen from Piz Cotschen.
Edited by:peter_stoeckl Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1629 W: 287 N: 3646] (10219)
Ortler (3905m, Southern Tyrol's highest peak), seen from Piz Cotschen (3026m). The path leading up along the Swiss-Italian border (with Switzerland seen at the lower left) may be well seen here - with the locations to the left and to the right of the crestline where Erebia gorge triopes was observed.

SONY DSC-H5, 3072 x 2304 pixel, sRGB, 5mm wideangle (= 30mm at 35mm SLR), F/8, 1/400sec, ISO-100; handheld, no flash; 25.08.2008, 13:25

Hope you enjoy the view.