Muschampia lavatherae explained

Muschampia lavatherae, the marbled skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found from the Rhine Rift Valley in central Germany up to North Africa and from south-eastern France up to Anatolia.

The wingspan is 28–34 mm.

Description in Seitz

C. lavatherae Esp. (85 a). Yellowish grey or ash-colour; hindwing darker, with two rows of distinct, almost white, spots. Underside of hindwing with two small grey bands in the centre. — Southern Europe, North Africa, Syria, Armenia. ^[1]

Biology

The butterfly gives one generation per year and flies from May to July depending on the location.^[2]

The larvae feed on Stachys recta and Sideritis scordioides in Southern Europe.

This species was formerly a member of the genus Carcharodus. As a result of genomic research published in 2020, it was transferred to the genus Muschampia.

External links

• Butterflies of Europe
• Butterfly Conservation Armenia

Notes and References

1. Seitz, A. ed. Band 1: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen Tagfalter, 1909, 379 Seiten, mit 89 kolorierten Tafeln (3470 Figuren)
2. http://www.butterfly-conservation-armenia.org/carcharodus-lavatherae.html Marbled Skipper at Butterfly Conservation Armenia