Satyrium ilicis

Satyrium ilicis, the ilex hairstreak, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. [1]

Ilex hairstreak
Satyrium ilicis, underside
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Satyrium
Species:
S. ilicis
Binomial name
Satyrium ilicis
Esper, 1779
Synonyms
  • Papilio ilicis Esper, 1779;
  • Papilio lynceus Fabricius, 1787
  • Thecla caudatula Zeller, 1847
  • Thecla bischoffii Gerhard, 1850
  • Thecla bischoffii cilicica (Holtz, 1897)
  • Thecla syra Pfeiffer, 1932
  • Thecla syra pinoptas (Zerny, 1932)

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in Southern and Central Europe, in South Western Siberia, in Asia Minor, Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Lebanon and Southern Urals.[1][2] It inhabits woods up to 1600 m in elevation.[3]

Description
Ilex hairstreak

Satyrium ilicis has a wingspan of 32–36 mm.[3] The basic color of the wings is brownish. In the females the upperside of the forewings usually shows large patches of orange, while on the underside of the hindwings there are orange black bordered lunules. A series of irregular broken white markings are present on the underside of the forewings and hindwings. On the hindwings are present two short tails. Larvae are pale green, about 2 cm long.[4]

Biology

It is a univoltine species. Adults fly from Late May to Early August.[3] Caterpillars feed on oaks (especially Quercus robur, Quercus coccifera, Quercus ilex, Quercus petraea, Quercus pubescens), elms (Ulmus species), Rhamnus cathartica and Prunus.[1][5] Larvae are attended by ants Camponotus aethiops and Crematogaster species.[6]

References
  1. "Satyrium Scudder, 1876" at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
  2. Fauna europaea
  3. Simon Coombes Captain's European Butterfly Guide
  4. Butterflies and Moths DK – Pocket Nature
  5. Heiner Ziegler Schmetterlinge der Schweiz
  6. Paolo Mazzei, Daniel Morel, Raniero Panfili Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa


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