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Pyrgus carthami / Safflower Skipper
Kafezijoshja
Hesperiidae - Pyrginae
Pyrgus carthami (Hübner, [1813]). TL: Bavaria.
 
 
1a. Pyrgus carthami, distribution map.  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Pyrgus carthami ♀ underside. Bulgaria (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Pyrgus carthami ♂ upperside. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Pyrgus carthami ♂ underside. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
Description
♂♂
Small butterfly but one of the larger Pyrgus in Balkan. Fw: 15-17 mm.
Ups: dark charcoil-grey gc, strong white markings.
Uph: postdiscal and submarginal oblong spots often well defined.
Uns: pale yellow-grey gc, complete white margin between pale gc and fringes.
♀♀
Slightly larger butterfly, otherwise similar.
Similar species
Life cycle
Adults: single generation from June to September.
Egg: probably short stage.
Caterpillar: hibernating in different stages.
Pupa: probably short stage.
Habitat
Pyrgus carthami inhabits dry, rocky, sparse grassland, rarely below 1000 m and up to 2000 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement moderate, population density low.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on different Potentilla sp.
Butterflies feed on higher flowers.
Distribution
Albania: very local (more research needed)
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA - EEU
Isolated populations in Asia Minor and Caucasus, further east to Ural Mountains.
Conservation status
Pyrgus carthami is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: NE.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.
Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
(url) Raymond B. & Gibbons R. Identification Guide to the Pyrgus Group of Grizzled Skippers in Europe (© Copyright Butterfly Conservation)
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no continuous narrow white marginal band.
orange-yellow discal and sm band.