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6XEIDPLO\ +HOLFRQLLQDH Issoria lathonia Limenitis reducta Staudinger, 1901 Southern White Admiral 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 9 - B | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Cyan #21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-

A hilltopping species, resembling Melitaea spp., but In its gliding flight, spectacular L. reducta frequents
differing by the highly distinctive mother-of-pearl markings sunny glades in open woodland and ravines in which its
on the hindwing underside. The female is larger, with hostplant is found. A territorial species, the male patrols
heavier black upperside markings and more noticeable along its territory 10-15 m long (Shnei-Dor, 2000) or 20+
green scaling near the body. The adults frequently bask on m (Benyamini, 2006e & field notes) chasing away other
bare ground, with males behaving territorially. Hilltopping butterflies before returning to a favoured perch, a typical
males were observed on 15 June 1974 circling the top of Mt ravining species (territorial in ravines). Few puddling
Hermon (2814 m, DB pers. obs.). The species is a known records in Israel (Beit Arye, 2 September 2014 (Benyamini,
migrant and in N Europe its populations are replenished 2014a), Mt Hermon 1600 m 12 June 2019 on the banks
annually by migrations from the south, sometimes of water pool for snow production (Benyamini & Tomer,
penetrating well into northern latitudes. Common in 2019)), but “often visits mud at springs and streams”
Hatay, S Turkey’s Amanos Mountains (Atahan et al., 2018: in Cyprus (Makris, 2003: 222). Fruit puddling/feeding
61). On 26.5.2016 it was observed and photographed for on rotten figs, reducta‘s preferred food, was observed DGXOW
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the first time by Yiannis Makriyianni at Pano Amiantos, twice in Beit Arye by the author: on 2 September 2006 lar v a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
pupa
Troodos, Cyprus (Makris pers. comm.). Uncommon in the and on 17 August 2014 (Benyamini, 2006d & 2014d).
Levant, where rarely more than one specimen is observed Balint et al., (2016) suggest that “In certain years there
at a time. However on 9 June 2018 exceptionally fifteen are migrations when the species is able to colonize new
specimens were observed on Mt Hermon local peak at habitats temporarily…especially evident at the edge of the
2050 m (Kirshenbaum, 2018a & 2018b). Occasionally, but species’ range (i.e, ecotone) like in Israel and Jordan” –
rarely, penetrates N Israel from S Lebanon; on 9 May 1984 however the author cannot support it yet by any evidence
a hilltopping male, the first record to Israel, was collected in the S Levant. In aerial courting the male flies around
by Yitzhak Movshovits on the top of Kibbutz Menara (870 the female or follow her in formation flight (Benyamini,
m) on the Lebanese SE border (Benyamini, 1984b). In 2003i, illustr.1). On ground, courting was observed on 11
their Viola tricolor garden in Kibbutz Eilon (330 m) two km May 2012 in Godrim valley N Israel near the Lebanese
S of the border with Lebanon Oren & Gadi Ish-Am observed border; after landing male approached the female behind
their first lathonia specimen in June 1990. A year later in with closed or open wings no more than ten cm away while
mid- June 1991 they collected a worn migrant and during the female opened and closed her wings continuously.
late June-July fresh specimens of local breeding colony The female did not let him get too close and kept walking
(Benyamini, 1991b). On 21 July 2007 a fourth penetration on ground and on stones or flying shortly and landing on
of lathonia was recorded by DB, Oren, Dolev & Gadi Ish- various plants, it proceeded several minutes along ~ two
Am inside Kibbutz Sasa (878 m, 3.2 km from S Lebanon meters the male permanently ca ten cm behind. But then
border); on 10:30 AM hilltopping males were patrolling a the female started to run among stones and after 30 cm
35 m - long backyard of a house near the peak of Sasa took off to very low flight and landed some 20 metres
hill with cultivated Viola tricolor LHP, nectaring on yellow away. The male did not succeed to follow and thus lost
and violet flowers of Lantana, Buddleja davidii and orange the female (Benyamini, 2012g & illustr. 2). Female carries L. r. schiffermuelleri Higgins, 1993
flowers of Tagetes sp. driving out passing specimens of the male in cop. - illustr. 3 (Observed by Laudon & Ben-Or
Pieris rapae, Vanessa cardui and hilltopping males of in Ein Karem, Jerusalem and by Marios Aristophanous in
Papilio machaon. On 11:30 AM inside the Kibbutz a Cyprus - pers. comms. to DB). One of very few butterflies
female was nectaring on Vitex agnus-castus and on 15:30 with oriental origin in the Levant.
another female landed on Viola tricolor in Gadi’s garden
to lay eggs. All specimens observed on this day were fresh,
possibly of local 2nd brood (Ish-Am & Benyamini, 2007). %LRORJ\
Ish-Am (2007) tried to find correlation between annual
rainfall and the appearance of rare Lebanese migrants )OLJKW SHULRG Early April to late October, 65 m (Mt Carmel
to northern Israel and found that I. lathonia arrived in coast & Yokne’am) - 1950 m (Mt Hermon) Israel; April-
dry years with 67.3% (1991) and 89.4% (2007) of the October, 300-1950 m at the Troodos summit in Cyprus
annual rainfall suggesting that their migration to Israel (Makris, 2003: 222); In Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges
was aiming to look for hostplants and nectar sources. In Larsen found it “most common in the autumnal broods
courting, the male chases the female until she lands, then from mid-July till October” from sl to “at least 1800 m”
approach her by foot while vibrating his wings. A female (Larsen, 1974: 111); April-October, sl-1850 m in Hatay
rejected the male advance by flying away. Copulation last (Atahan et al., 2018: 46); 1545-2029 m at Al-Lazzab
4-5 hours and a female was observed laying eggs about reserve Syrian Anti-Lebanon (Zarikian & Ghrejyan, 2018);
two days later (Lafranchis et al., 2015: 530-531). Rated May-August, 500-700 m in N Jordan (Larsen & Nakamura,
Endangered (EN) in the Israeli Red List of Butterflies due 1983; Katbeh-Bader et al., 2003). L. r. herculeana Stichel, [1909]
to its small population (Renan et al., 2022 (in prep.)).
/LIH KLVWRU\ up to four annual broods, depending on
%LRORJ\ altitude. Eggs are laid singly, rarely two, on the LHP’s
leaf upper surface. The hemispherical egg is 0.8-1 mm
)OLJKW SHULRG April to October, 1000 m to upper heights in height, greenish with honeycomb surface structure
covered with bristles, gets yellowish hue and dark cap
© Limor Gefen 1500-2814 m in Mt. Hermon; April-July, 450-2000 m in of the reflected larval head before eclosion. L1 emerges © Dubi Benyamini
(2200+ m) in Lebanon (Larsen 1974: 121); May-July,
Hatay (Atahan et al., 2018: 61); 1545-2602 m in Al-Lazzab
after 6 to 14 days pending external temperature and eats
reserve Syrian Anti-Lebanon (Zarikian & Ghrejyan, 2018).
the eggshell for its first meal. It is 1.6-1.8 mm long, brown-
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