Ypthima asterope (Klug, 1832)


Ypthima asterope: Female (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Female (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Female (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Female (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Female (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Female (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Female (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Female ovipositing on the lower, sun-protected part of Hyparrhenia on a rocky embankment (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Egg deposited in 7cm depth in a rock gap (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [M] Ypthima asterope: Egg on a grass stalk (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [M] Ypthima asterope: Egg (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Egg (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Egg prior to hatching, larval head visible (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the first instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the first instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the first instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the first instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the first instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the first instar in moult res into the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the first instar in moult res into the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the second instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the second instar in moult rest into the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva in the third instar in moult rest into the fourth instar (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition in early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Fully-grown larva in dormancy (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Fully-grown larva in dormancy (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.l. rearing, Greece, Mount Parnassus, 1800m, young larva in early May 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Larva (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Prepupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Pupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Pupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Pupa (e.o. rearing, Cyprus, N of Paphos, oviposition early November 2016) [S] Ypthima asterope: Oviposition habitat at the base of the rocky embankment (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Oviposition habitat in a rock gap at the base of the rocky embankment (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Oviposition habitat in a rock gap (center of image) at the base of the rocky embankment (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Egg deposited in 7cm depth in a rock gap (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Ovipostion habitat in a rock embankment with Hyparrhenia, egg deposited on the lower side of the large tussock, protected from sun (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Ovipostion habitat in a rock embankment with Hyparrhenia, egg deposited on the lower side of the large tussock, protected from sun (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Habitat (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Habitat (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Habitat (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Habitat with Hyparrhenia hirta (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Habitat with much Hyparrhenia hirta (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N] Ypthima asterope: Habitat with much Hyparrhenia hirta (Cyprus, N of Paphos, early November 2016) [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed in the first place on the grass Hyparrhenia hirta (Poaceae).

Habitat:
Ypthima asterope inhabits semiarid, most often rocky slopes and garigues, sometimes also stony, dry river beds and other hot places with host plants. In the Eastern Mediterranean Ypthima asterope is mostly found near the coast below 400m, but in Arabia and Africa it settles also in the mountains.

Life cycle:
In the Eastern Mediterranen Ypthima asterope is found in several generations between March and November. Summer drought constrains development. Thus it is most probable that there are two generations in spring (until June) and another in autumn (October/November). Butterflies are only exceptional in summer. Generally the generation sequence is dependent on precipitation.
In Africa and Arabia Ypthima asterope can be found all the year (according to rainfall).

The adults visit flowers, but relatively rarely compared to other species. Especially in autumn there are often almost none flowers available in the habitat. The males patrol arduous in the larval habitat and place themselves often, but only quite shortly, on stones or open ground. The females search places that are well heat-protected for oviposition. I observed females in Cyprus in November 2016 that oviposited partly on the outer base of Hyparrhenia tussocks on stalks protected from sun and partly also in some distance from this often only available grass e.g. on dead leaves or sun-protected stones. A female crept into a gap between stones and deposited the egg in a depth of 7cm on a dead leaflet that had been blown there by the wind (see photos). Most often the females search for suitable places by crawling around after landing. At this time the Hyparrhenia plants had still been desiccated, but preceeding rain guaranteed prompt shooting.

Endangerment factors:
Ypthima asterope is especially threatened by overbuilding and touristic development in its few European outposts.

Remarks:
Ypthima asterope occurs mainly in Africa, the Near East and Arabia. In the Mediterranean it is also found along the Southern Turkish coast, in some islands of the East Egean (Greece, northwards to Samos Island) and in Cyprus.