Carcharodus floccifera (Zeller, 1847)

(Tufted Marbled Skipper)

Original description

„Hesperia floccifera nov. spec.“ Zeller, P.C., 1847 (Bemerkungen über die auf einer Reise nach Italien und Sizilien beobachteten Schmetterlingsarten. - Isis, Jena, (1847) (1): 286). Locus typicus: Sicily.

Diagnosis

Colour of upper side dark grey-brown, hindwings usually with charakteristic whitish spots. Male with hair tuft on forewing underside. Underside of hindwings grey-brown with brighter spots and some stripes from the edge to the center of the wing. Genitalia: The tip of the valva is broader than compared to C. orientalis.

Genitalia

(Female genitalia to follow)

Subspecies

Several subspecies have been described.

Distribution

In Morocco very locally. From the Iberian Peninsula throughout Europe until western Mongolia. In the nort from the Alps trough Poland to the Baltic states. On the Balkans scattered distribution, presence on the Peloponnesos (Mt. Chelmos) needs confirmation. Eastern Turkey and Iran.

Flight time

In Central Europe usually one generation in June/July. A partial second generation can be observed in August/September. The half-grown caterpillar hibernates.

Ecology and habitats

Different types of habitats are used: In Central Europe mostly periodically wet meadows where Molinia is predominant. Alpine meadows are also inhabited. In Asia (forets) steppes.

Hostplants

Lamiaceae from the genera Betonica (B. officinalis, B. pradica) and Stachys (S. recta).

Important literature and internet links

Lepiforum (in german)

Eurobutterflies (Matt Rowlings)

Guy Padfield‘s European Butterfly Page

Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa (Paolo Mazzei et al.)

Les Carnets du Lépidoptériste Français

Butterflies of France (Roger Gibbons)

Carcharodus on www.nic.funet.fi

Homepage of Wolfgang Wagner

Euroleps (Heiner Ziegler)

Tree of life

Lepidoptera of Upper Bavaria (Markus Schwibinger, in german)

Lepidoptera in Austria (in german)

Motyle Europy

Learn about Butterflies (Adrian Hoskins)

Butterflies of Turkey

„Les insectes“

„Alexanor“, Ukrainian Buterflies (S. G. Popov)

Homepage of Michael Zepf

Fleeting Wonders (Phlipppe Bricaire)

Albrecht, Martin, Martin Goldschalt & Reinhold Treiber (1999)
Der Heilziest-Dickkopffalter (Carcharodus floccifera Zeller, 1847) (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae).
Morphologie, Verbreitung, Ökologie, Biologie, Verhalten, Lebenszyklus, Gefährdung und Schutz einer interessanten Tagfalterart.
Nachrichten des entomologischen Vereins Apollo, N.F., Supplementum 18: 1–256. Frankfurt a. M.