common ringlet

(Coenonympha california)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

N5 - Secure

S4S5 - Apparently Secure to Secure

Minnesota

not listed

 
common ringlet
 
Description

 

 

Size

 

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

Grassy fields, meadows

Biology

Season

Two broods: The first late May to June, the second in August.

 

Behavior

 

 

Life Cycle

 

 

Larva Hosts

Grasses and rushes

 

Adult Food

Flower nectar

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

7, 21, 24, 27, 29, 30, 71, 75, 82, 83.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 7/11/2025).

7/11/2025    
     

Occurrence

 

Taxonomy

Order

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Superfamily

Papilionoidea (butterflies)

Family

Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies)

Subfamily

Satyriinae (satyrs, morphos, and allies)

Tribe

Satyrini (alpines, arctics, nymphs, and satyrs)
Subtribe Coenonymphina

Genus

Coenonympha
   

Pick a Name, Any Name
This species has traditionally been classified as Coenonympha tullia, a widespread species with a holarctic distribution (worldwide in the northern hemisphere). Many subspecies have been described, and some of these are treated by some authors as full species.

iNaturalist recognizes large heath (Coenonympha tullia) with 11 subspecies, none of which occur in the contiguous 48 United States; Hayden’s ringlet (Coenonympha haydenii), whose range is restricted to Montana, Wyoming, and eastern Idaho; and common ringlet (Coenonympha california), with 18 subspecies, whose range extends in the United States across the north and throughout the west. Inornate ringlet (Coenonympha california ssp. inornata) is the only subspecies with observations in Minnesota.

BugGuide recognizes Hayden’s ringlet (Coenonympha haydenii), whose range is restricted to Montana and Wyoming; and common ringlet (Coenonympha california), with 12 subspecies, whose range extends in the United States across the north and throughout the west. One of those subspecies is California ringlet (Coenonympha tullia ssp. california), whose range is restricted to California. It does not recognize Coenonympha california. Inornate ringlet (Coenonympha tullia ssp. inornata) is the only subspecies with observations in Minnesota.

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA) recognizes Coenonympha california (no common name), which occurs in the western United States, and whose range does not extend into Minnesota; and common ringlet (Coenonympha tullia), whose range extends in the United States across the north and throughout the west. BAMONA does not list subspecies.

Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) recognizes common ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) with 35 subspecies and California ringlet (Coenonympha california) with 4 subspecies. The ranges shown for both species are identical, extending in the United States across the north and throughout the west, and both species in Minnesota. GBIF also recognizes inornate ringlet (Coenonympha inornata), whose range includes Minnesota.

NatureServe lists Coenonympha tullia with 2 subspecies and Coenonympha california with 14 subspecies. It shows only Coenonympha california present in Minnesota, but does not indicate which subspecies.

ITIS recognizes Coenonympha tullia with 21 subspecies and does not recognize Coenonympha california.

Catalogue of Life recognizes Coenonympha california with no subspecies, and Coenonympha tullia with 10 subspecies. It also recognizes the species Coenonympha inornata.

Discover Life recognizes Ampelo’s ringlet (Coenonympha tullia), with no subspecies and with a Holarctic range; and Coenonympha california, also with no subspecies, whose range is restricted to the far western United States and Canada.

Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas lists Coenonympha tullia as the only Coenonympha species in Minnesota. It does not list any subspecies.

Therefore, the Coenonympha plants found in Minnesota could be:

inornate ringlet (Coenonympha california ssp. inornata) – iNaturalist

inornate ringlet (Coenonympha tullia ssp. inornata) – BugGuide

common ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) – BAMONA, ITIS, Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas

inornate ringlet (Coenonympha inornata) – GBIF

California ringlet (Coenonympha california) – GBIF

common ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) – GBIF

common ringlet (Coenonympha california) – NatureServe

Coenonympha inornata (no common name) – Catalogue of Life

Ampelo’s ringlet (Coenonympha tullia) – Discover Life

   

Subordinate Taxa

California ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. california

Columbian ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. columbiana

Elko ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. elko

Grand Canyon ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. furcae

Great Basin ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. pseudobrenda

inornate ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. inornata

Mackenzie ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. mackenziei

mono ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. mono

Newfoundland ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. mcisaaci

northwest ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. ampelos

ochre ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. ochracea

Oregon ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. eunomia

prairie ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. benjamini

salt marsh ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. nipisiquit

Shasta ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. eryngii

Vancouver ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. insulana

White Mountains ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. subfusca

Yontocket ringlet Coenonympha california ssp. yontocket

   

Synonyms

 

   

Common Names

Ampelo’s ringlet

California ringlet

common ringlet

inornate ringlet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Carl Wegener (Agingyooper)

common ringlet

Territorial fight erupted between these two just as I hit the shutter button.

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Common Ringlet
DianesDigitals

Common Ringlet
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Copyright DianesDigitals

Coenonympha tullia

Common Ringlet Butterfly
Andree Reno Sanborn

Common Ringlet Butterfly

Coenonympha tullia (Common Ringlet)
Allen Chartier

Coenonympha tullia (Common Ringlet)

 

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Other Videos

Large Heath Butterfly - Fiðrildi sem flaug í burtu
Hellen Linda Drake

About

Published on Aug 7, 2012

Large Heath - Coenonympha tullia

The eye spots on the underside of this species vary considerably - those in the north have almost no spots at all with adults looking like a sizeable Small Heath, while those in the south have very distinctive spots. This "cline" has given rise to 3 named subspecies although most taxonomists believe this separation to be somewhat artificial and a mere convenience for describing particular populations. The reason for this variation is believed to be natural selection based on predation by birds. The cooler climate in the north, along with fewer hours of daylight, results in less-active adults whose plain undersides make them difficult to find while at rest. Adults further south, on the other hand, are much more active and are more-likely to attract the attention of birds as a result. In this case, the distinct eye spots deflect the bird's attention away from the body. http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/specie...

Coenonympha - is a butterfly genus. It belongs to the Coenonymphina, a subtribe of the "browns" (Satyrinae). The latter are a subfamily of the brush-footed butterflies - Nymphalidae. As a rule, Palearctic species are colloquially called "heaths", while Nearcticnes are called "ringlets". Neither term is limited to members of this genus, however. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenonympha

There are three broods per season. http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/satyrid/Coenonympha%20tullia.htm

Fiðrildi komu fram á sjónarsviðið fyrir meira en 150 milljónum ára. Þau tilheyra fjölskrúðugum ættbálki sem á latínu heitir Lepidoptera og útleggst á íslensku hreisturvængjur. Nafngiftin á rætur í því, að fiðrildin eru með tvö vængjapör, sem eru þakin hreistri með litkornum í og sem oft mynda skrautlegt mynstur. Vænghafið getur verið á bilinu 0,3-30,5 cm. Munnlimirnir eru oftast ummyndaðir í langan sograna. Á sumum fiðrildum eru raspar á sogrananum, til að stinga gat á aldinhýði. Lyktarskynið er háþróað. Ættbálknum er gjarnan skipt í tvær megindeildir, lágvængjur og hávængjur. Sú flokkun er þó ekki byggð á skyldleikatengslum, heldur útliti. Hávængjur eru með breiða vængi, sem þær leggja saman upp frá bolnum í hvíldarstellingu, og eru ljóselskar. Lágvængjur eru með vængina flata yfir bolnum í hvíldarstöðu og eru flestar náttförular og því litdaufar. Annað sem greinir á milli þessara deilda er, að á hávængjum eru fálmararnir kylfulaga en á lágvængjum ekki. Þess má geta, að allar íslensku fiðrildategundirnar eru af flokki lágvængja. Einnig hafa lágvængjur verið kallaðar náttfiðrildi og hávængjur dagfiðrildi, og þá litið til þess, hvenær dýrin eru helst á ferli. Sú aðgreining er ekki tæmandi, því sum "náttfiðrildi" eru á ferli á daginn og svo öfugt. Aðallega eru þessar skiptingar til hægðarauka. Hávængjurnar komu til sögunnar nokkru á eftir lágvængjunum, eða fyrir 70-100 milljónum ára. Sjá meira: http://www.mbl.is/greinasafn/grein/569352/

BUTTERFLY Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ
toth istvan

About

Uploaded on Aug 21, 2011

[RO]

Coenonympha tullia

Dar nu numai ziua, ci si noaptea puteti descoperi prin gradina, fluturi interesanti. Odata cu venirea serii, gradinarii pot observa micutii fluturi care
seamana cu pasarea colibri si care plutesc, batând repede din aripi, în jurul petuniilor sau a reginei noptii, pentru a culege nectarul cu trompa lor lunga.
Este vorba de fluturele Agrinus convolvuli, originar din sudul Europei si care poate fi vazut acum si în regiunile mai nordice ale continentului. Culoarea lui de bazo
este gri, având pe ambele parti dungi colorate în negru, roz si alb. În general fluturii de noapte prefera florile care miros seara precum: caprifoiul ( Lonicera ),
regina noptii ( Nicotiana )sau lumânarelele de noapte ( Oenothera ). Aceste plante au nevoie de acesti fluturi de noapte pentru polenizare si de aceea îi atrage prin
parfumul pe care-l emana numai seara si noaptea.

[EN]

Coenonympha tullia

But not only the day but at night you can find in the garden, butterflies interesting. With the coming of night, little butterfly gardeners can see that Wilco and resemble floating, beating its wings rapidly around the petunias or Queen of the Night, to collect nectar with their long proboscis. It is Agrinus convolvuli butterfly, a native of southern Europe and can be seen now and in the northern regions of the continent. The color of the basal is gray, with both sides colored stripes in black, pink and white. In general, butterflies prefer flowers that smell evening night such as honeysuckle (Lonicera), Queen of the Night (Nicotiana) or lumânarelele night (Oenothera). These plants need this moth for pollination and therefore attracts the perfume only at night and releases it at night.

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Carl Wegener (Agingyooper)
6/7/2020

Location: Washington County, Stillwater MN

Territorial fight erupted between these two just as I hit the shutter button.

common ringlet
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Created: 7/30/2008

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