Large Heath Coenonympha tullia

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The Large Heath is distinguished from the Small Heath by its slightly larger size and in usually having eyespots on the underside of its hind-wings. This butterfly is found on peat bogs where the caterpillars feed on cotton-grass. Adults fly from mid June to early August. I. The lowland form 'davus' with heavily marked eyespots on the underside of the hindwing occurs on some of the Morecambe Bay mosses. The less strongly marked 'polydama' form is prevalent in the rest of the county. This species has gone from several former sites where the peat bog habitat has been altered.