Carcharodus lavatherae (Esper, [1783])

(Marbled skipper)

Original description

„Papilio (Pleb. Urb.) Lavatherae“ Esper, E. J. C., [1783]: Die Schmetterlinge in Abbildungen nach der Natur ... 1 (2): 148; Taf. 82, Fig. 4 (Weibchen). Locus typicus: „France and .. Switzerland“.

Diagnosis

The brightest coloured species of the genus. Colour of upper side grey-brown with large white hyaline spots. Fresh butterflies look greenish when on the wing. Male without hair tuft on forewing underside. Underside of hindwings almost white.

Genitalia

(Female genitalia to follow)

Subspecies

Several subspecies have been described. Of special interest is ssp. tauricus which is distributed from Greece eastwards.

Distribution

From the Iberian Peninsula throuth Southern Europe to Iran. The northern boundary of the distribution crosses the Alps. An isolated population in the Middle Rhine Valley (might be extinct). In Northern Africa the species can be found in Morocco and Algeria.

Flight time

In Central Europe a single generation from June to August. In South Tyrolia a second generation has been reported. The half grown caterpillar hibernates.

Ecology and habitats

Dry, warm and often rocky habitats.

Hostplants

Lamiaceae: Stachys recta in Central Europe.

Important literature and internet links

Lepiforum (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.ch (Heiner Ziegler)

Tree of life

Lepidoptera of Ukraine (Vladimir V. Savchuk) (Ukrainian)

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

Butterflies of Turkey

Butterflies of Dagestan (V. Tikhonov)

Homepage of Michel Zepf

Fleeting Wonders (Philippe Bricaire)

Lepidoptera of Crimea

(Literature to follow)