Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 20.xii.2023

Callophrys rubi /Green Hairstreak
Ferrakja
Lycaenidae - Theclinae

Callophrys rubi (Linnaeus, 1758). TL: Sweden.

1a. Callophrus rubi, distribution map. Historical data ; Additional data from the 2018 update ; New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Callophrus rubi ♂ underside. Kamniku Mt., Albania (© Lulëzim Shuka)
1c. Callophrus rubi ♀ underside. Albania (© Marjanne Foppen)
1d. Callophrus rubi ♂ underside. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Callophrus rubi ♂ underside. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1f. Callophrys rubi ♂ underside. Belgium (© Sylvain Cuvelier)

Description
♂♂
Small butterfly. Fw: 13-15 mm.
Hw: slightly undulant fringes forming a protrusion at the anal angle of the outer margin.
Ups: dull brown gc, no markings.
Upf: small, dark androconial patch.
Uns: green gc, white postdiscal line-shaped spots often incomplete on fw.
♀♀
Similar size.
Ups: similar as ♂♂.
Upf: no androconial patch.
Uns: similar as ♂♂.

Similar species
None.

Life cycle
Adults: single generation from March to May and at higher altitude sometimes extending to July.
Egg: 5-10 days.
Caterpillar: 22-30 days.
Pupa: overwintering in the litter layer, 36-46 weeks.

Habitat
Callophrys rubi inhabits a wide range of open grasslands and heaths on rocky slopes and at forest edges from lowland up to 1600 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement modest, population density moderate.

Foodplants
Caterpillars feed mainly on Calluna sp., Erica sp., Cytisus sp., Frangula alnus, Genista sp., Rubus sp. and Vaccinium sp., also mentioned are Chamaecytisus sp., Cistus sp., Cornus sanguinea, Crataegus sp., Empetrum nigrum, Helianthemum sp., Ilex aquifolium, Laburnum sp., Lotus sp., Medicago sp., Onobrychis sp., Oxytropis pilosa, Rhamnus sp., Spartium junceum, Teucrium chamaedrys, Viburnum lantana and Viccia cracca.
Butterflies feed on small flowers as well from herbs as from trees, also on honeydew.

Distribution
Albania: widespread in the Northern Albanian Alps, local in other areas.
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
Callophrus rubi is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: NE.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.

Useful links
Bink 2015
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps

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