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Lycaena tityrus / Sooty Copper
Flakëroshja e errët
Lycaenidae - Lycaeninae
Lycaena tityrus (Poda, 1761). TL: Graz, S. Austria.
 
 
 
1a. Lycaena tityrus, distribution map.  Historical data ;  Additional data from the 2018 update ;  New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Lycaena tityrus ♂ underside. Romania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Lycaena tityrus ♀ upperside. Bulgaria (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Lycaena tityrus ♂ upperside. Romania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1e. Lycaena tityrus ♀ underside. Bulgaria (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1f. Lycaena tityrus ♀ lateral. N. Albanian Alps, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
Description
♂♂
Small butterfly. Fw: 14-16 mm.
Ups: dark grey-brown gc.
Upf: darker spots in usual pattern.
Hw: often a marked anal lobe.
Uph: orange lunules faint or even absent.
Uns: grey gc, sometimes light yellowish-grey, orange submarginal band more marked.
♀♀
Similar size.
Upf: orange gc (variable) with stronger dark spots in usual pattern.
Hw: often a marked anal lobe.
Uph: dark gc, usual spots, orange submarginal band conspicuous enclosing black spots, barely touching the margin.
Unf: orange gc, strong dark spots in usual pattern.
Unh: yellow-grey gc.
Similar species
None.
Life cycle
Adults: depending on altitude two to three generations from March to October.
Egg: 4-10 days.
Caterpillar: overwintering as L3 or L4 larva.
Pupa: 8-22 days.
Habitat
Lycaena tityrus inhabits flowery meadows surrounded by scattered bushes from lowland up to 1500 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement moderate, population density modest, nomadic.
Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Rumex acetosa, R. acetosella, R. crispus, R. hydrolapathum, R. scutatus and R. thyrsiflorus.
Butterflies feed on a variety of flowers.
Distribution
Albania: widespread in the mountains.
Balkan: AL - BG - BIH - GR - HR - NMK - MNE - RKS - RO - SLO - SRB
Europe: IB* - IT - ALP - BAL - NWE - UK - SCA* - EEU
Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, Caucasus and further east.
Conservation status
Lycaena tityrus is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: NE.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: LC.
Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps
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