Laeosopis roboris (Esper, 1793)

Host plants:
Fraxinus ornus, also other species such as Fraxinus excelsior.

Habitat:
Laeosopis roboris inhabits mostly wet places in river valleys dominated by light woods or just individual trees. In Andalusia, I met Laeosopis roboris very abundant in the Sierra de Cazorla at lower altitudes with streams and seasonally dry pastures with Brenthis hecate. In Provence, I observed Laeosopis roboris in a river valley near Auriol along with Brenthis daphne and Satyrium esculi.

Life cycle:
The eggs are deposited on branches, and the caterpillar hatch in spring. It is resting on branches or on the trunk, where it is well camouflaged. The moths fly in June and July. I met large butterfly concentrations at Thyme (Thymus mastichina).

Endangerment factors:
Laeosopis roboris has been pushed back severly due to the destruction of riparian areas and other wetland habitats in the Mediterranean region.

Remarks:
The distribution is restricted to Southwestern Europe (Iberian Peninsula, Southern France).