Tarucus balkanicus (Freyer, 1844)

Host plants:
The caterpillars live on Paliurus spina-christi (Rhamnaceae). This plant is favoured by grazing.

Habitat:
Tarucus balkanicus inhabits hot and dry sheep pastures, rocky slopes and similar grassland areas where the host plant (a bramble) is frequent.

Life cycle:
Tarucus balkanicus has several generations per year. I met adults of the first generation in Northern Greece in early May at the foot of slopes. In late July 2011 and in mid-July 2025 I found caterpillars and eggs in the Askio Mountains (northern Greece) quite numerous at an extremely xerothermic slope in heat accumulation over stones, rocks and niches. Eggs are laid at the base of spines, rarely also on leaves. The larva has a characteristic feeding pattern with one to four mines strips in the longitudinal direction on the leaf. Larvae are often accompanied by ants. Pupation occurs mostly on stems or in the litter (e.g. on old dry leaves).

Endangerment factors:
Tarucus balkanicus is threatened by habitat changes and overbuilding (e.g. east of Mount Olympus). Looking ahead, also a threat may arise from land use through solar farms and wind parks, which may be constructed in ecologically valuable areas (Askion etc.). A major threat is finally the abandonment of grazing with sheep and goats.

Remarks:
Tarucus balkanicus flies locally in Africa and is found from the Balkans (from Croatia) across Turkey and the Arabian Peninsula to Central Asia.