Hamearis lucina (Linnaeus, 1758)


Hamearis lucina: Female (eastern Swabian Alb, S-Germany, Dischingen, June 2013) [N] Hamearis lucina: Female (eastern Swabian Alb, S-Germany, Dischingen, June 2013) [N] Hamearis lucina: Male (eastern Swabian Alb, late May 2013) [N] Hamearis lucina: Male (eastern Swabian Alb, Dischingen, June 2013) [N] Hamearis lucina: Female [S] Hamearis lucina: Adult (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, May 2012) [N] Hamearis lucina: Adult (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, late May 2012) [N] Hamearis lucina: Adult (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, late May 2012) [N] Hamearis lucina: Adult (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, late May 2012) [N] Hamearis lucina: Female (S-Germany, Allgäu Alps, Hinterstein, early June 2020) [N] Hamearis lucina: Female (S-Germany, Allgäu Alps, Hinterstein, early June 2020) [N] Hamearis lucina: Adult (S-Germany, Oberjoch. 20. May 2020) [N] Hamearis lucina: Male (S-Germany, Kempter Wald, mid-May 2021) [N] Hamearis lucina: Male (Romania, Cluij-Napoca, early May 2021) [N] Hamearis lucina: Male (Romania, Cluij-Napoca, early May 2021) [N] Hamearis lucina: Male (Romania, Cluij-Napoca, early May 2021) [N] Hamearis lucina: Male of a second generation (N-Hungary, Buekk mountains, 200m, late July 2020) [N] Hamearis lucina: Adult (N-Italy, South Tyrol, Münster valley) [N] Hamearis lucina: Male [N] Hamearis lucina: Adult [N] Hamearis lucina: Lower side [S] Hamearis lucina: Adult (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, clearing with Coenonympha hero, May 2009) [N] Hamearis lucina: Lower side [N] Hamearis lucina: Copulation (Romania, Apuseni mountains, early May 2021) [N] Hamearis lucina: Copulation (Romania, Apuseni mountains, early May 2021) [N] Hamearis lucina: Ovae at Lysimachia nummularium (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, early June 2009) [M] Hamearis lucina: Ovae [M] Hamearis lucina: Ovum [M] Hamearis lucina: Eggs on Primula elatior (S-Germany, Kempter Wald, early June 2022) [M] Hamearis lucina: Eggs on Primula elatior (S-Germany, Kempter Wald, early June 2022) [M] Hamearis lucina: Eggs after some days (S-Germany, Kempter Wald, early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Eggs prior to hatching (S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Eggs prior to hatching (S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Eggs prior to hatching (S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L1 larvae and hatching one (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 1 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 2 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 3 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 4 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 5 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 6 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 7 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 8 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Hatching larva 9 (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L1-larvae (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L1-larvae (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L1-larvae (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L1-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L1-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L1-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L1-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L2-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L2-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L2-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L2-larva in the end of this instar (S-Germany, eastern Swabian Alb, Heidenheim/Brenz, late June 2007) [S] Hamearis lucina: L3-larva (S-Germany, eastern Swabian Alb, Heidenheim/Brenz, late June 2007) [S] Hamearis lucina: L3-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L3-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L3-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L3-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L3-larva (S-Germany, eastern Swabian Alb, Heidenheim/Brenz, late June 2007) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Larva [S] Hamearis lucina: Larva [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva, ready for pupation (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: L4-larva, ready for pupation (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Pupa (e.o. rearing, S-Germany, Kempter Wald, eggs in early June 2022) [S] Hamearis lucina: Pupa [S] Hamearis lucina: Pupa Hamearis lucina: Habitat on the eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany: humid clearing with much Lysimachia nummularium and some Primula elatior [N] Hamearis lucina: Habitat: nutrient-poor grassland with Primula veris (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany) [N] Hamearis lucina: Habitat with Primula veris (Romania, Apuseni mountains, early May 2021) [N]

Host plants:
The larva feeds on Primula species (mainly Primula veris and P. elatior) and possibly also Lysimachia (Lysimachia nummularium, eastern Swabian Alb, 2009 repeatedly observed oviposition). It is not sure if a successful development is possible on Lysimachia. Further research is necessary. Since then I only recorded eggs on Primula.

Habitat:
Hamearis lucina colonizes clear, fringe-rich forest structures, coppices, bushy grasslands, embankments with grasslands, wide edges of hedges and more humid clearcuttings and clearings in the forest.

Life cycle:
Hamearis lucina hibernates as a pupa and flies in the spring from April to June. Eggs are laid in small groups on the underside of leaves (rarely also top side) and are quite conspicuous. The larvae grow quickly and obviously only have three moults. The pupa rests in the litter.

Endangerment factors:
In many places, Hamearis lucina is in sharp decline by darkening processes in forests, intense removing of buses on grasslands and the uniformization of the landscape (removal of hedges etc.). However, locally Hamearis lucina is still quite common, e.g. in the Swabian Alb or in coppice woodland in northern Bavaria.

Remarks:
Hamearis lucina is distributed from the north of the Iberian Peninsula across southern and central Europe to the Urals.


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