LEPIDOPTERA

• S A T Y R I D A E Boisduval, 1833

  • ARETHUSANA de Lesse, 1951

    
    

    • Arethusana arethusa ([Dennis et Schiffermuller], [1775])

Arethusana arethusa ([Dennis et Schiffermuller], [1775])

· TYPE LOCALITY. "Umgebung von Wien" [Vienna, Austria].

· RANGE. From Morocco and Spain across S., Middle and SE. Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and the Middle East to the S. Altai, SW. Siberia and N. Tian-Shan.

· DISTRIBUTION AND VARIATION. The S. European part, W. Siberia - the nominate subspecies; N. and W. Tian-Shan, Dzhungarsky Alatau, Saur and Tarbagatai - ssp. heptapotamica (Stauder, 1924); the Caucasus Major and Minor, the Armenian Highland - ssp. pontica (Heyne, [1895]).

· HABITAT AND BIOLOGY. Mountain and foothill steppes and arid sparse woodlands up to 2,500 m a.s.l. Flight period: June-August. Host plants (Eckstein, 1913; Hesselbarth et al., 1995): Festuca, Bromus erectus, Dactylis, Poa and other grasses. Pupation under the ground.

Photo and text: Guide to the BUTTERFLIES OF RUSSIA and adjacent territories Volume 1. PENSOFT, Sofia - Moscow. 1997