The grayling is a common heathland butterfly.

Statistics
Wingspan: 50mm.

Physical description
The upper sides of the grayling's wings are brown with black eyespots surrounded by orange and with a small white pupil in the centre. The undersides of the wings are grey or brown with black eyespots surrounded by pale orange on the upperwings. Darkness of colouration varies with habitat. Lighter individuals are found in chalk or limestone areas. Darker individuals are found in heaths and peat areas.

Caterpillars are yellowish-white with brown and white stripes.

Distribution
Graylings are resident in Britain and other parts of Europe.

Habitat
Graylings inhabit heathland, open woodland, dunes and coastal cliffs.

Diet
Adults feed from flowers such as thistle. Caterpillars feed on grasses.

Behaviour
Graylings can be seen flying from June to September. When this butterfly settles it closes its wings and tilts them so as to minimise the shadow cast by them. It also tucks the orange upperwings down behind the drab underwings so that when it lands it seems to vanish.

Reproduction
During courtship the male will land near the female and begin fluttering his wings rapidly. Eggs are laid singly on the stems or blades of grass and hatch after about two and a half weeks. This species has only one brood per year.

Conservation status
Graylings are not listed as endangered on IUCN Red List 2000.

Notes
The name semele comes from Greek mythology. Semele was the human mother of the god Dionysus and was accidentally killed by Zeus, but rescued from Hades by her son Dionysus and made a goddess.