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Araschnia levana / Map Butterfly
Portokalli e ndezur me njolla të zeza
Nymphalidae - Nymphalinae
Araschnia levana (Linnaues, 1758). TL: Germany.
 
 
 
 
1a. Araschnia levana, distribution map.  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Araschnia levana ♂ upperside, summer generation. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Araschnia levana ♂ lateral, spring generation, forma levana. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Araschnia levana ♂ upperside, spring generation, forma levana. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Araschnia levana ♀ underside, spring generation, forma levana. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1f. Araschnia levana ♂ underside, summer generation, forma prorsa. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1g. Araschnia levana eggs. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1h. Araschnia levana caterpillars. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
Description
♂♂
Small butterfly. Fw: 16-19 mm (spring generation), 17-21 mm (summer generation)
Marked seasonal dimorphism.
Ups: spring generation (forma levana) with orange gc and black markings, summer generation (forma prorsa) with black gc and pale cream discal bands.
Uns: similar map-like markings and white veins, forma levana red-brown gc and forma prorsa darker red-brown gc.
♀♀
Sligthly larger.
Upf: apex sligthly more rounded than ♂♂.
Similar species
None.
Life cycle
Adults: two generations from April to May and from the end of June to August.
Egg: laid in an unique tower, 4-7 days.
Caterpillar: 17-29 days.
Pupa: overwintering, before summer 9-15 days.
Habitat
Araschnia levana inhabits woodland, forest edges, rough moist grasslands with scattered bushes and Rubus from lowland up to 1500 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement is modest, population density moderate, nomadic, expanding its range in the Balkan peninsula, recently discovered in Albania.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed mainly on Urticae dioica, also mentioned are U. urens and Humulus lupulus.
Butterflies feed on all kind of flowers with a preference for umbel shaped inflorescences.
Distribution
Albania: recent records (more research needed) and at the southern limit of its distribution range in the Balkan peninsula.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA - EEU
Asia Minor, Near East, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.
Conservation status
Araschnia levana is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: NE.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: NA.
Useful links
Bink 2015
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
(url) Cuvelier S., Parmentier L., Qirinxhki X. & Paparisto A. 2023. Butterflies of Albania new data and going online. Fluturatat e Shqipërisë të dhëna të reja dhe faqja online (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) — Buletini i Shkencave te Natyres, Tirana university. 32(2022): 5-31.
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