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Libythea celtis (Laicharting, 1782)            Nettle-Tree Butterfly

                                                                         Ypthima asterope  1 species in the Levant.                  to ‘mud-puddle’ where “freshly emerged adults often congregate in
                                                                                                                                     A vagrant species and the only representative of the Libytheinae

                                                                                                                                     distinctive ‘snout’ (formed by long labial palpi), and markedly dentate
                                                                             About 130 species, Palaeotropical, Australian
                                                                                                                                     square-tipped forewing. The species takes nectar, but is also known
                                                                             & Palaearctic.
 #                                                                           Ypthima Hübner, 1818                                    found, sparingly, in the region.  L.  celtis is easily recognized by its
                                                                                                                                     large numbers to drink on damp ground” perhaps leading to dispersal
                                                                                                                                     away from breeding areas during the summer and “If disturbed larvae
                                                                             +RVWSODQWV  Poaceae.
                                                                                                                                     descend 2-3 m from their hostplant on silken threads” (for defence)
                                                                                                                                     (Tolman, 1997: 139). In Cyprus, most specimens have been observed
 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 2 - B | 21-12-30 | 11:34:47 | SR:-- | Magenta
 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 2 - B | 21-12-30 | 11:34:47 | SR:-- | Yellow
                                                                                                                                     in light woodland at 1000 – 1500 m  (John & Makris, 2001), but is
 #21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 2 - B | 21-12-30 | 11:34:47 | SR:-- | Black
 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR - 21603-BRACHA-PARPAR | 2 - B | 21-12-30 | 11:34:47 | SR:-- | Cyan
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                                                                                                                                     also found at higher elevations. Hilltopping & territorial males were                        HJJ  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9   10  11  12
                                                                                                                                                                                                           lar v a
                                                                                                                                     observed by DB on 11 June 2016 in Mt Ossa (Mt Kissavos) 1450-1600           pupa
                                                                                                                                     m Thessalia, Greece and on 24 May 2019 on top of a Kalambaka
                                                                                                                                     - Meteora peak observatory, 500 m Trikala, N Greece. Territorial
                                                                         Proterebia  phegea  Roos & Arnscheid, 1980                  and photographed on a flat grey rock, in an opening at 1400 m in S
                                                                                                                                     males may defend their territories for several days (Lafranchis  et
                                                                             Proterebia
                                                                                                                                     al., 2015: 394). The most southerly Levant record was on 24 June
                                                                                                                                     2014 when a single closed-wings cryptic specimen was observed
                                                                                                                                     .L]LOGDø·V EODFN SLQH IRUHVW  6 $PDQRV 0W  +DWD\   '% SHUV  REV    ´L.
                                                                             Monotype, Palaearctic.
                                                                                                                                     celtis is known to migrate during July and August to cooler or higher
                                                                                                                                     elevations, returning to lowlands by September” (Thiele, 2016).
                                                                             1 species in the Levant.
                                                                             +RVWSODQWV  Poaceae.
                                                                                                                                     %LRORJ\
                                                                                                                                     )OLJKW SHULRG  late April to October local and sedentary from 900 to
                                                                                                                                     1500+ m in the Troodos Mt, Cyprus (John & Makris, 2001; Makris,
                                                                                                                                     2003: 204, 287); June 400-1600 m in Hatay (Atahan  et al., 2018:
                                                                                                                                     44; DB pers. obs.); Late March to early August (rarely later) sl–2750
                                                                                                                                     m (Van) Turkey (Hesselbarth et al., 1995(2): 761).
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                © Dubi Benyamini
                           Subfamily +HOLFRQLLQDH   Swainson, 1822                                                                   /LIH KLVWRU\  univoltine (although with a possible partial second brood
                                                                                                                                     in August-October). Eggs are laid in spring, near the opening buds
                                                                                                                                     or on the underside of a leaf. The egg is 0.7 mm in length, off-white
                                                                                                                                     and ridged longitudinally and transversally changing to light orange
                                                                                                                                     after two days. L1 is light grey changing after feeding to yellow-
                                                                         Clossiana euphrosyne  30 species, Holarctic.                dorsally and on the head capsule” and “very short blackish dorsal   © Leah benyamini        © Adam Warecki
                                                                                                                                     green and green with a light green head. The mature larva is 30 mm
                                                                                                                                     long, green with a yellow dorsal median line, “small pale yellow dots
                                                                             Clossiana  Reuss, 1920

                                                                                                                                     body bristles” – similar in appearance to Pieridae larva (Thiele,
                                                                                                                                     2016). Larval population explosion that defoliated complete tree,
                                                                             1 species in the Levant.
                                                                                                                                     causing high mortality to young larvae by starvation and predation
                                                                                                                                     by spiders and birds was documented. The pupa is approximately 15
                                                                             +RVWSODQWV: Betulaceae, Empetraceae,
                                                                                                                                     mm in length, usually green, but colour may vary, possibly to enhance
                                                                             Ericaceae, Lamiaceae, Polygonaceae, Rosaceae,
                                                                                                                                     camouflage (Kawahara, 2006). The pupa suspends from a tail pad,
                                                                             Ranunculaceae, Salicaceae, Saxifragaceae,
                                                                                                                                     hidden beneath a hostplant leaf and ecloses after one to three
                                                                             Violaceae.
                                                                                                                                     weeks. Adults hibernate in winter to reappear next spring. (Chinery,
                                                                                                                                     1989: 76; Lafranchis, 2004; Lafranchis  et al., 2015: 394 & Eddie
                                                                                                                                     John pers. comm.)
                                                                                                                                     5HFRUGHG  KRVWSODQWV  Celtidaceae/Cannabaceae:  Celtis australis,   © Eddie John             © Eddie John
                                                                                                                                     C.  tournefortii (John & Makris, 2001),  C.  caucasica,  C.  glabrata;
                                                                             Issoria   Hübner, [1819]
                                                                                                                                     Ulmaceae: Ulmus minor and U. glabra reluctantly in captivity (Tolman
                                                                         Issoria lathonia  8 species, Palaearctic & African.         et al., 2006).

                                                                                                                                     & Lewington, 1997: 139); Betulaceae: Alnus glutinosa (Toper Kaygin
                                                                             (including Kuekenthaliella Reuss, 1921)].

                                                                                                                                     'LVWULEXWLRQ  TL: Bolzano, S Tirol. Range extends from N Algeria,
                                                                             1 species in the Levant.
                                                                                                                                     NW Tunisia through S Europe and the Mediterranean islands including
                                                                                                                                     Cyprus, Turkey, southern Russia and Iran to western India. The Nettle-
                                                                             +RVWSODQWV  Boraginaceae, Fabaceae,
                                                                                                                                     tree Butterfly expanded its southern Levant distribution limit to S
                                                                             Rosaceae, Violaceae.
                                                                                                                                     Hatay – as described above and may migrate further south to close-
                                                                                                                                     by N Syria. Absent from Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan & Sinai. (Earlier
                                                                                                                                     L. celtis records from China and Japan referred to the ssp. L. c. lepita,
                                                                                                                                     since elevated to species rank (Kawahara, 2006)).                  © Eddie John              © Eddie John
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