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Hipparchia fatua (Freyer, 1844) Freyer's Grayling 6 L1 Larva

H. f. fatua
A local species of hills and mountains, where it may be September and 9 October, and 30 eggs were laid from 27
found in forested and rocky areas. H. fatua rests on the September to 17 October 1980 by another. Hesselbarth et 7UDQVLWLRQ ]RQH 3
ground, on stones or on tree trunks, with wings closed and, al., (1995(2): 914, reported the laying of 60 eggs from 3
like its congeners, reacts instantly to any disturbance. to 20 October by a gravid female taken to Germany, having © Stav Talal
# H. f. sichaea
Flight is vigorous. During the summer months, male and been caught in mid-August near Izmir W Turkey. Eggs are L1 Larva
female H. fatua have been observed to aestivate together, laid singly under leaves and stems of dry grasses, and are
resting as pairs on trunks of Pinus spp. and Ceratonia white when laid 0.8-1.1 mm high, 0.7-0.9 mm in maximum
siliqua (Schwartz-Tzachor, 2005a). Adults are attracted to diameter and barrel-shaped with 16-18 vertical ribs (12-
fermenting fruit, are known to mud puddle, rarely nectaring 17 ribs in Jutzeler & Russell, 2021). Egg colour changes to DGXOW
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HJJ 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 6 - A | 22-01-02 | 10:39:03 | SR:-- | Yellow
on Medicago sativa, Urginea maritima and Lantana grey or purple before hatching. L1 emerges after 7-14 days lar v a © Dubi Benyamini © Dubi Benyamini
#21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 6 - A | 22-01-02 | 10:39:03 | SR:-- | Black
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 6 - A | 22-01-02 | 10:39:03 | SR:-- | Cyan
pupa
montevidensis and on three occasions observed at tree (usually after 12) and is 2.5 mm long, brownish-white with L2 & L3 Larvae
sap. In the upper Galilee near Sasa N Israel, adults prefer five darker lines, a thin mid-dorsal line, wider sub-dorsal
unique bitopes at the periphery of Oak’s shade where their lines and thin lateral lines. Short setae cover the body,
hostplants Piptatherum holciforme thrive around the trees the head is light brown with black spots and the forked
(Ish-Am & Benyamini, 2003 & 2004). On 16 September tail is relatively short. Part of the eggshell is eaten before
2020 at Beit Arye C Israel, a territorial male intercepted a the L1 moves to the newly sprouting blades of hostplants, © Dubi Benyamini
Colotis fausta (Pieridae) from its perch in a hollow of a dry e.g. perennial Piptatherum spp., when colour changes to
stone wall (Benyamini, 2020i) green, with longitudinal stripes in shades of green. This is L4 Larva
the most critical stage of larval development, as the timing
of egg-laying and hatching must coincide with continuing
%LRORJ\ high temperatures coupled with the advent of autumn 6 7ƺUN\ 6LOLINH 850 m, 9 August 1992
rainfall to ensure a supply of fresh grass. In favourable H. f. fatua (Freyer, 1844)
)OLJKW SHULRG Israel – late April in Ma’ale Efraim, conditions, early instars develop slowly on warm days © Dubi Benyamini
Samarian Desert (200 m) and Nahal Amud, NW Lake of during autumn and winter, remaining in diapause during L5 Larvae
Galilee (-100 m), to late October in upper Galilee and Golan cold periods or in the absence of hostplant growth. The
Heights (1200 m) and early November in lower, warmer mature larva develops in six instars (Jutzeler & Russell,
localities; Mt Hermon – late May at 900-1000 m to late 2021) measures up to 45 mm in length and is light brown
July at 2000 m and early October at 1200-1550 m; Hatay with narrow white, dark-brown and reddish-brown lines and
– July to November 50-1800 m (Atahan et al., 2018: 74); a wide, dark brown lateral stripe. Six brown lines extend
1678-2029 m at Al-Lazzab reserve Syrian Anti-Lebanon to the forehead. The larval tail is characteristically forked.
(Zarikian & Ghrejyan, 2018); Lebanon – late May on the Prior to pupation, the larva burrows perpendicularly into
Mediterranean coast to 2500 m in mid-August/September the soil, a process that was observed on 2 April 2013 at Syria, E Tartus, 1100 m, 28.6.1996 3 3 Syria, Hama, 1000 m, 13.8.1995
on Cedar Mts, with peak activity in June-July (Larsen, 1974: 16:20 when, over a period of about 30 minutes, the larva H. f. fatua/H.f.sichaea (Intermediates)
134; DB, pers. obs.); N Jordan – June to November 600- worked its way into the substrate of soil and grit until the
900 m (Katbeh-Bader et al., 2003). tip of the larval tail was lost to sight – illustr. 1. Using
silk, a flexible subterranean chamber coated with soil
/LIH KLVWRU\ univoltine. Attempted courtship was observed particles is prepared - illustr. 2., but where burrowing is
on 1 September 2012, when an unreceptive female was not possible, the pupa is formed on the surface, beneath
seen to be pursued in flight by a male following some 10 litter. The pre-pupa is 20-22 mm long and pinkish-white;
cm behind at a height of ca. 20 cm. Upon landing, the the fresh pupa, 15-17 mm long, is yellowish-white, finally
female remained motionless, wings closed, while the male, turning to reddish-brown and is formed ventral side up,
wings fluttering, approached the female head-to-head. hatching after 4-6 weeks. In late August 2012, three
For a period of 12 minutes, the head of the female was females and eight males were collected in open pine forest
enfolded within the male’s vibrating wings, during which near the Mt Carmel Coast in NW Israel (60-130 m asl, 1 Israel, Mt Hermon, 1200 m, 27.7.1977 Israel, Mt Carmel, 200 m, July 1958
time the female’s antennae were raised, seemingly to km W of Kerem Maharal, lat. 32º38’44’’ N), beginning a H. f . si ch ae a Lederer , 18 5 7
H. f. sichaea Lederer, 1857
avoid contact with the male’s androconia. Flipping of the 10-month breeding experiment in the author’s laboratory.
female’s wings denied several further attempts at mating These were caged and maintained at a constant room
when the male then aligned side by side. This was followed temperature of 25ºC, and provided with mineral water, © Dubi Benyamini © Dubi Benyamini
by the female repeatedly crawling in circles (measured mud, figs and watermelon as nutrients and fresh, potted
at ca. 16 cm diameter), before appearing to clear the Piptatherum miliaceum (Poaceae), the local hostplant.
head of androconial scales, using a foreleg (Benyamini, Courting and mating were observed on 1 September, the
2012e). Mating couples were observed between 10:45 to first egg-laying on 6 September and emergence of first
19:45 (shortly after sunset); in captivity, recorded matings stage larvae on 20 September. Larvae fed at night on the
lasted from three and a quarter to four and a quarter fresh hostplant, retreating by day to the base and emerging
hours. Female carries the male in cop. Females with an as early as 15:45 to recommence feeding. Rate of larval
apparently full complement of eggs were observed on Mt growth varied, the most precocious growing to 15 mm by © Dubi Benyamini
Carmel, N Israel on 19, 27 and 29 September. Egg-laying 16 October, 18 mm by the 18th, 31 mm by the 31st and
of wild caught females was recorded from noon between attaining a maximum length of 45 mm on 5 November.
6 September and 17 October, each egg laid in ca. one There was no sign of the larva after 8 November until it was
second. On another occasion, twenty-five infertile eggs found in its pupal chamber on 15 November. Premature
were laid by a female in the first fortnight of October 1978. development continued, resulting in the adult emerging on
The following year, 208 eggs were laid by three females 3 January 2013, after just seven or so weeks in diapause,
(only one of which had a full complement) between 22 and three to four months earlier than expected. In contrast, © Alex Oz © Dubi Benyamini

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2Butterflies of the Levant danaidae satyridae.indd 88 12/30/2021 4:24:04 PM 2Butterflies of the Levant danaidae satyridae.indd 89 12/30/2021 4:24:14 PM