Hipparchia fagi

Hipparchia fagi, the woodland grayling, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.[3]

Hipparchia fagi
in Andorra
male, Republic of North Macedonia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Lepidoptera
Family:
Nymphalidae
Genus:
Hipparchia
Species:
H. fagi
Binomial name
Hipparchia fagi
Synonyms
  • Papilio fagi Scopoli, 1763
  • Hipparchia hermione Linnaeus, 1764
  • Papilio hermione Linnaeus, 1764[1][2]

Etymology

The Latin species name fagi, meaning of "beech" (=fagus), refers to the prevailing species of trees in the relating biotope.

Subspecies
  • Hipparchia fagi tetrica Fruhstorfer, 1907[2]

Distribution and habitat

This widespread European endemic species can be found in most of Europe, mainly south of the Alps[2] (Albania; Andorra; Austria; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Macedonia; Montenegro; Portugal; Romania; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Switzerland; Ukraine).[4] It occurs on broad-leaved deciduous forests, coniferous woodland, grassy vegetation, in woodland glades and woodland rides and, from sea level to 1,600 m elevation.[5]

Description

Hipparchia fagi has a wingspan of 66–76 millimetres (2.6–3.0 in).[6] These large butterflies have dark brown uppersides of the wings, with a fringed margin, a white submarginal band more evident in the females and one black eyelet at the apex of each forewings. In the males the white band has a single very small eyelet on each hindwing, sometimes showing a white pupil, while in the females it shows one or two ocelli.[7]

The underside of the forewings is rather similar to the upperside: The hindwings are marbled of brown and white with a broad white band. The white band on the internal edge of the underside hindwings is curved, while the white band on the underside forewings is often without a significant indent.[8]

The colouration and pattern of these butterflies are an excellent camouflage on the bark of the trunks where the butterfly usually rests, with the eyespots hidden by the closed wings.[5] This species is similar but larger than Hipparchia hermione. It is also rather similar to Hipparchia syriaca and Hipparchia genava.

The caterpillar has a pale brown head with four darker streaks. Body is light brown with a bifid posterior end, a dark brown dorsal band and brownish lateral bands.[9]

  • female
  • courting - female on the left
  • mating - female on the right
  • Female
  • Female underside
  • Male
  • Male underside

Biology

Adults fly from June to September.[6] This species has one generation a year. The caterpillars overwinter. The larvae feed on various types of grass, such as Brachypodium pinnatum, Bromus erectus, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus and Holcus mollis.[2][5]

Bibliography
  • Kudrna, O. (1977): A Revision of the Genus Hipparchia Fabricius. — 300 S., Faringdon – London
  • Kudrna, O., Harpke, A., Lux, K., Pennerstorfer, J., Schweiger, O., Settele, J. & M. Wiemers (2011): Distribution atlas of butterflies in Europe. – 576 S.; Halle a.d. Saale
  • Lionel G. Higgins et Norman D. Riley, Guide des papillons d'Europe, Delachaux et Niestlé, 1988, (Lausanne).
  • Tom Tolman, Richard Lewington, Guide des papillons d'Europe et d'Afrique du Nord, Delachaux et Niestlé, (ISBN 978-2-603-01649-7).

References
  1. INPN taxonomie
  2. "Hipparchia Fabricius, 1807" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  3. Catalogue of life
  4. Fauna europaea
  5. IUCN Red List
  6. Simon Coombes Captain's European Butterfly Guide
  7. Papillons du Poitou-Charentes
  8. Euro Butterflies by Matt Rowlings
  9. D.J. Carter et B. Hargreaves, Guide des chenilles d'Europe, Delachaux et Niestlé, 2001, ISBN 2-603-00639-8
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