Lycaena ottomana (Lefèbvre, 1830)

Host plants:
Rumex species such as Rumex acetosa and R. acetosella

Habitat:
Lycaena ottomana inhabits grassland fragments in sparse forests, shrub-rich grasslands on forest edges, forest gap systems and similar sites. I met Lycaena ottomana feeding on mint on the Greek Olympus in 900m asl in a nutrient-poor pasture with wet spots. Here also occurred Pyrgus armoricanus. On Mount Pangeon (Kavala) I recorded the butterflies mostly on Thymus in the area just above the pasture-induced timberline (about 1700m), in late July 2025, however, in the forest gap systems and on clearings on Tanacetum, Mentha, Sambucus ebulus etc. (800-1500m)

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters. The adults fly in two generations (April/May and July/August). On Mount Olympus, I watched Lycaena ottomana in late July 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Remarks:
Lycaena ottomana is limited in distribution to the southern Balkans (from S-Serbia) and to Turkey.