Zygaena sarpedon (Hübner, 1790)


Zygaena sarpedon: Female (Sisteron, SE-France, July 2010) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Female (Sisteron, SE-France, July 2010) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Male (Sisteron, July 2010) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Male (Sisteron, July 2010) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Adult (Sisteron, July 2010) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Adult (Valle di Susa, Italy) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Half-grown larva (France, Provence-Alpes, north of Sisteron, April 2013) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Half-grown larva (France, Provence-Alpes, north of Sisteron, April 2013) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Larva (N of Sisteron, late May 2013) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Larva (N of Sisteron, late May 2013) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Larva (N of Sisteron, late May 2013) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Larva (e.l. Sisteron, larva in April 2013) [S] Zygaena sarpedon: Larva (e.l. Sisteron, larva in April 2013) [S] Zygaena sarpedon: Larva (Valle di Susa, Italy) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Larva (Valle di Susa, Italy) [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Larval habitat at a species-rich dry slope north of Sisteron, France (April 2013). Here also occur Zygaena erythrus, Z. occitanica, Z. carniolica, Z.fausta, Z. loti, Z. transalpina, Z. rhadamanthus and Z. hilaris. [N] Zygaena sarpedon: Larval habitat north of Sisteron at the time of the mature larvae in late May 2013. [N]

Host plants:
Eryngium campestre and other Eryngium species

Habitat:
Zygaena sarpedon lives in calcareous grasslands, in broad forest fringes, in the scrub (maquis/garigue), on clearings in the bright oak forest and steppe-like heathland.

Life cycle:
In the Valle di Susa (NW-Italy) I observed the caterpillars at 1000m above sea level in April/May and adults in July and early August. In France I met adults together with Zygaena erythrus, Zygaena hilaris and Zygaena occitanica in mid-July 2010.

Endangerment factors:
Zygaena sarpedon is locally endangered by bush encroachment after abandonment, but also intensification of the habitats (agriculture and forestry) and overbuilding.

Remarks:
The Atlanto-Mediterranean species is found in the Iberian Peninsula, in Southern and locally Central France, and also very locally in Northwest Italy (Susa Valley, Liguria).



Zygaena alluaudi | Zygaena angelicae | Zygaena anthyllidis | Zygaena brizae | Zygaena carniolica | Zygaena contaminei | Zygaena corsica | Zygaena cynarae | Zygaena diaphana | Zygaena ephialtes | Zygaena erythrus | Zygaena exulans | Zygaena fausta | Zygaena filipendulae | Zygaena hilaris | Zygaena ignifera | Zygaena johannae | Zygaena laeta | Zygaena lavandulae | Zygaena lonicerae | Zygaena loti | Zygaena minos | Zygaena nevadensis | Zygaena occitanica | Zygaena orana | Zygaena osterodensis | Zygaena oxytropis | Zygaena punctum | Zygaena purpuralis | Zygaena rhadamanthus | Zygaena romeo | Zygaena rubicundus | Zygaena sedi | Zygaena transalpina | Zygaena trifolii | Zygaena viciae