Template:POTD/2020-08-11
Kirinia roxelana, the lattice brown, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae found in south-eastern Europe and the Near East. It is found in a variety of habitats such as warm, dry grassland and scrubland near woodland, forest verges, vineyards and olive groves, usually in association with rocks or stone walls. It is a large butterfly with a wing length of about 3 cm (1.2 in); adults are most commonly on the wing between May and July, while caterpillars feed on broad-leaved grasses. Like other members of its family, it stands on only four legs while the other two remain curled up. The wings are covered with minute scales, and their distinctive pattern help the butterfly protect itself by camouflage. This photograph shows a K. roxelana male resting on a rock in Mount Carmel National Park, Israel.Photograph credit: Gideon Pisanty