Zygaena erythrus (Hübner, 1806)

Host plants:
Eryngium campestre (Apiaceae)

Habitat:
Zygaena erythrus inhabits dry, nutrient-poor grasslands, steppes and broad verges in light oak forests.

Life cycle:
I observed the mature caterpillar in May in the Susa Valley (Cottian Alps) in Stipa-steppe grasslands at 500m above sea level as well as in Bromus erectus grasslands in 1100m above sea level. In the high-Provence near Sisteron caterpillars had just moulted out of diapause in mid-April 2010. The cocoons are constructed on the ground in the litter layer between moss, lichens and plant parts. I found such a cocoon in July 2010 along with larvae of Eurranthis plummistaria under a low growing shrub of Dorycnium pentaphyllum.

The adults fly from late June to early or mid-August. Zygaena erythrus locally shares the habitat with Zygaena sarpedon in the small common area of distribution, so in the Provence and in Susa Valley.

Endangerment factors:
Zygaena erythrus is endangered in many places due to agricultural intensification, overbuilding and reforestation, but is often still one of the more common species in its range.

Remarks:
Zygaena erythrus is as Adriato-Mediterranean species particularly distributed in Italy (in the north only extremely local: Garda and Susa). It also penetrates far into the south of France (Provence, Southwest Alps).