Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 05.viii.2023

Hipparchia fagi / Woodland Grayling
Pylltarja
Nymphalidae - Satyrinae

Hipparchia fagi (Scopoli, 1763). TL: Krain, Slovenia.

1a. Hipparchia fagi, distribution map. Historical data ; Additional data from the 2018 update ; New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Hipparchia fagi ♂ underside. Bulgaria (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Hipparchia fagi ♂ upperside. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Hipparchia fagi ♂ upperside. Greece (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Hipparchia fagi copula. Gjergjevicë, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)

Description
♂♂
Large butterfly. Fw: 33-38 mm.
Fw: apex not pointed.
Ups: dark brownish-grey gc.
Upf: sex-brand, pale cream-white postdiscal band, variable fuscous suffusion enclosing variable ocelli in s5 and s2 (sometimes absent)
Uph: large white postdiscal band, often small ocellus in s2, outer edge basal area nearly straight or gently curved.
Unf: yellowish or white are in apical area of postdiscal band.
Unh: brownish-grey gc with dark striae, black discal and submaringal lines, well pronounced wide white postdiscal band, small ocellus.
♀♀
Larger.
Ups: better defined and paler postdiscal bands, often pale yellowish in apical area.

Similar species

Brintesia circe Upf: broad pure white pd band. Upf: dentate external side pd band. Uph: broad pure white pd band. Unf: pure white pd band. Unh: short white postbasal band. Unh: pure white pd band. Hipparchia syriaca There are no reliable external characters. Upf: suffused, pale yellowish pd band. Upf: slightly more pointed apex (variable) Upf: external side pd band not dentated. Uph: suffused, pale pd band. Unf: pale yellowish pd band. Unh: no short white postbasal band. Unh: less pronounced mottled white pd band (variable) ♂♂ genitalia bear clear differentiating character and is strongly recommended for identification. ♀♀ genitalia distinctive, needing full dissection (url)

Hipparchia syriaca
Identification based on external morphology is unreliable.
Upf: slightly more pointed apex.
Unh: less pronounced, marbled greyish-brown white postdiscal band.
Identification based on ♂♂ genitalia (Jullien organ: 6-10 small rods) is strongly recommended, ♀♀ genitalia distinctive, needing full dissection (url)

Life cycle
Adults: single generation from June to August, with aestivation period.
Egg: short stage.
Caterpillar: overwintering.
Pupa: short stage.

Habitat
Hipparchia fagi inhabits grassy places in open shrubland, forest and forest edges, often resting on tree trunks, from 400 up to 1500 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement moderate, population density sometimes high.

Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Brachypodium phoenicoides, B. pinnatum, B. retusum, Bromus erectus, Dactyllis glomerulata, Festuna ovina, F. rubra, Holcus lanatus, H. mollis and Poa pratensis.
Butterflies feed on higher flowers, mud-puddling.

Distribution
Albania: probably widespread despite possible confusion with H. syriaca (more genitalia confirmed data needed)
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB* - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE* - UK - SCA - EEU*
W. Caucasus.

Conservation status
Hipparchia fagi is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: LC.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.

Useful links
Bink 2015
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
(url) Coutsis J. 1983. Description of the female genitalia of Hipparchia fagi Scopoli, Hipparchia semele Linnaeus (Satyridae) and their related taxa. — The Journal of Research on the Lepidoptera 22(3): 161–203.

Contact