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Vanessa atalanta (Linnaeus, 1758) Red Admiral Byblia ilithyia Byblia anvatara

(Drury, 1773) Spotted Joker (Boisduval, 1833) African Joker
A migrant species having a strong rapid flight and exhibiting 140
hilltopping & territorial behaviour, often returning to its 120 c
chosen sunny spot or perching from a branch. The species a
flies in urban areas and has extended its distribution due 100
#
to man’s activities. In the last decade, it has been noted No of specimens 80 d
that immigrants arriving from the north in autumn (usually 60 b
October - November), hibernate all over Israel and even in
40
Sasa on the northern border with Lebanon (Gadi Ish-Am e
pers. comm.) but this phenomenon is mostly expressed 20
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 10 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Magenta
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 10 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Yellow
#21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 10 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Black
21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 10 - A | 21-12-30 | 11:34:48 | SR:-- | Cyan
on large Eucalyptus and Acacia trees in central lowland 0 SEP OCT * * DEC JAN * FEB * MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG DGXOW DGXOW
3
2
01
11
2
4
01
1
9
11
6
8
9
6
2
2
8
3
4
1
NOV
HJJ
HJJ
areas in Israel and in the Northern Negev where numerous Fig 1.- Annual activity in C & S Levant: DB data, BMS Data; Larvae lar v a 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 lar v a 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
*
pupa
pupa
adults are observed, and by April/May will fly northwards,
disappearing for the summer months. BMS Israel and The species appears unable to establish permanent
DB records, 588 specimens (2010-2021 in 25 to 200 colonies in S Sinai massif, despite the presence of
fix monitoring tracks) and 612 specimens (1970-2019) Parietaria alsinifolia (Urticaceae) hostplants (Benyamini,
respectively are drawn in Fig 1. 1984).
$QQXDO EHKDYLRXU LQ & 6 /HYDQW (Fig 1) 2WKHU UHFRUGV LQ WKH /HYDQW DQG &\SUXV
D Influx of migrants from the north starting in late +DWD\ 6 7XUNH\ “common but in few numbers...throughout
September and gets its peak in October – November; Their all months of the year” (Atahan et al., 2018: 51).
flight is inconspicuous, as singletons, never in swarms but &\SUXV autumn migrants (and rarely local Red Admirals)
sometimes tens may accumulate on Eucalyptus, Pinus, take advantage of a flush of fresh hostplant growth
Ficus or Acacia trees e.g. in Arad NE Negev on large Acacia induced by seasonal rainfall, the species’ behaviour is
salicina trees in bloom between 1 October to 12 November similar to Israel; here they have been observed oviposition
1991 Ben Fisher and his mother observed numerous Red throughout all months of winter and spring (Makris, 2003:
Admirals. In the first week of October, during several days 230; pers. comm. to DB).
they observed about 30 specimens on one tree in Yoshiyahu (OVHZKHUH
str. (illustr. 1). Other butterflies observed together with the *UHHFH In the S. of Greece they overwinter and are © Colin Congdon
atalantas included: Vanessa cardui and the blues: Azanus most common in the fall and early spring, also regularly © Nancy van der Poorten
ubaldus, Deudorix livia and Leptotes pirithous (Fisher & appearing from hibernation on warmer days in winter. But
Benyamini, 1991). On their way southwards as far as S they also exist all through summer, but in smaller numbers
Sinai they were observed in Mitspe-Ramon C. Negev (Dotan at low altitudes and larger ones at higher elevations. JC
Rotem, 10/2012 pers. comm.), in Neot Smadar S Negev on “cannot recall of them ever totally disappearing from the © Nancy van der Poorten © Nancy van der Poorten
13 October 2018 feeding on rotten dates (Adi Dafni & Benny scene” (John Coutsis – pers. comm.). %LRORJ\
Shalmon pers. comm. - illustr. 2), Uvda airport territorial 6SDLQ DQG 1: $IULFD “In the Mediterranean (e.g.
male on a Washingtonia palm tree – 26 November 2002 (EF Catalonia) they are breeding all the year round because
pers. comm. to DB), peak of Shlomo Mt (700 m) near Eilat a there are available hostplants during the summer here. )OLJKW SHULRG May (YAR, Beni Mansour, Larsen. T. 1982: © Colin Congdon © Colin Congdon © Colin Congdon
hilltopping territorial atalanta male drived-out a male cardui In Catalonia (and generally in the north) geography is 33); October (Dhofar. Larsen, T., 1979); Early May, July,
(18 November in the mid-1980’s, Benny Shalmon pers. very heterogeneous and plenty of mountains that are October & early November (Dhofar, Schmidt et al., 2020);
comm.) and Eilat’s birds sanctuary within the ornithological quite green. Southern Spain is generally much drier, but Elsewhere year round.
park and birdwatching centre IBRCE (atalanta’s wings were there are still areas with some hostplant growing. But in
found in the bird’s trap on 31 October 2002 – David Shahak the mountains they do not breed in winter... In any case, %LRORJ\
pers. comm. to DB). there is a clear influx of European specimens in autumn /LIH KLVWRU\ not reported in the Levant. Elsewhere: the
E Overwintering adults on trees from December to February. (Usually in October) that mix with locals…they do not reach egg is uniquely shaped among the region butterflies – it )OLJKW SHULRG May (YAR, Wadi Sughna, Larsen 1974, 1979,
On warm winter days they bask in the sun, flying shortly far south. The southernmost specimens we have seen is white, barrel-shape and has ribs that carry long spines, 1980 & 1982). Elsewhere year round. In Yemen flies from
to nectar, several may lay eggs on freshly grown Urtica & are in the Anti-Atlas range in Morocco (at 29°59’16’’ N is making the egg resemble a pin-cushion. The L5 has green 900 m to 2000 m.
Parietaria LHPs following winter rains to establish a local about 155 km N of S Sinai (latitude) southern distribution and brown strips along the body, each segment have
winter-spring brood (Caspi, 2006). limit – DB). In their way north in spring, they usually fly
F Resume activity gradually from January pending external together with cardui indeed (they use the same winds in branching spines. The head has two “horns” covered /LIH KLVWRU\ same as in Byblia ilithyia.
temperatures with peak numbers in March, some mate the same dates)” (Gerard Talavera and Roger Vila, CSIC- with small spines. The pendulous pupa is brown. (Van
and lay eggs (2nd brood). On 6 March 2019 five adults, UPF, Barcelona, Spain, pers. comms. to DB). der Poorten, G. M. & N. E., 2016; pers. comm.). 5HFRUGHG KRVWSODQWV Dalechampia and Tragia spp.
possibly after overwintering were observed by Dubi & Leah 6ZLW]HUODQG in a pilot study a mark-release alpine insect (Euphorbiaceae).
Benyamini at NW Dead Sea coast -350 to -375 m (bsl). migration project, the Menz Lab. Institute of Ecology and 5HFRUGHG KRVWSODQWV Dalechampia, Tragia and
G April-May fly northwards to Cyprus, Turkey or S & E Europe. Evolution of the University of Bern together with their
Breeding spring-early summer population will emerge and partners in lepido.ch marked forewings of ca 7000 adults Jatropha? spp. (Euphorbiaceae). 'LVWULEXWLRQ
fly northwards too. by colour spots during 29-30 September 2016 (illustr. 3) TL: Madagascar. Distributed from sub-Saharan Africa to
H June-September singletons remain in urban areas where and released them in two mountain passes: Col de Bretolet 'LVWULEXWLRQ Ethiopia, Sudan, S Egypt?, Madagascar, Comoro Islands
irrigation of gardens will support their Parietaria judaica and Col de la Croix in SW Switzerland asking people to TL: Senegal. Distributed from Senegal to Nigeria (W and the Arabian Peninsula. The Levant’s specimens belong
perennial LHP in the summer months, other adults survived collect them in S France, S Spain & S. Italy and report to Africa), from South Africa (S & E Africa) to Eritrea, to ssp. B. a. acheloia (Wallengren, 1857), TL: “Caffraria”
in mountainous areas. In fifty years and 612 observations <tagging@grnx.ch> see: http://insectmigrtion.wordpress. Ethiopia, (Sudan & SE Egypt?), the Arabian Peninsula (South Africa) – S Africa to Ethiopia, Sudan, S Egypt?,
DB recorded only 9 (1.47%) specimens in June, 5 (0.81%) com/red-admiral-migration/red-admiral-marking/.
in July, 11 (1.79%) in August and 12 (1.96%) in September Until the publication of this vol III in November 2021 the (Dhofar, Oman & Yemen), India, Pakistan and Sri-Lanka. Western Saudi Arabia (Asir, Pittaway (1985) as B. a.
highlighting four months of atalanta‘s practical absence results of this interesting experiment were not published. (Larsen, 1979; Larsen & Larsen, 1980: 50; Larsen, acheloia N to Hejaz ?) & Yemen as B. a. acheloia in several
from southern Levant - Fig 1. I know of only one marked specimen that was observed in 1982: 32; Larsen 1983: 423; Schmidt et al., 2020). places (Larsen, 1982: 32).
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