Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 30.iv.2026

Neptis sappho / Common Glider
Avioni i zakonshëm
Nymphalidae - Limenitidinae

Neptis sappho (Pallas, 1771). TL: Volga area.

1a. Neptis sappho, distribution map (09.i.2025). Historical data ; Additional data from the 2018 update ; New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Neptis sappho upperside. Romania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Neptis sappho underside. Bushtricë, Albania (© Maarten Jacobs)
1d. Neptis sappho underside. Bushtricë, Albania (© Maarten Jacobs)
1e. Neptis sappho underside. Bushtricë, Albania (© Maarten Jacobs)
1f. Habitat of Neptis sappho. Ura Tupezë, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1g. Habitat of Neptis sappho. East of Cidhën, along the Black Drin, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1h. Habitat of Neptis sappho. Northwest of Cidhën, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)

Description
♂♂
Medium size butterfly. Fw: 22-24 mm.
Ups: black gc.
Upf: clearly marked, narrow stripe in cell and conspicuous triangular mark beyond.
Uph: discal and postdiscal white bands.
Uns: cinnamon red gc with similar pattern.
♀♀
Slightly larger, markings similar.

Similar species

Neptis rivularis Upf: vestigial white stripe in cell. Upf: oblique broad, white pd spots. Uph: single oblique white discal band. Unf: vestigial white strip in cell. Unf: oblique broad, white pd spots. Unh: one white discal band. Limenitis camilla Ups: black gc. Unh: double row of dark postdiscal spots. Limenitis reducta Ups: bluish-black gc. Upf: whitish-pale blue sm spots. Uph: whitish-pale blue sm spots. Unh: single row of dark postdiscal spots.

Life cycle
Adults: two or more generations, depending on altitude, from April to September.
Egg: short stage.
Caterpillar: overwintering as mature larva.
Pupa: short stage.

Habitat
Neptis sappho inhabits damp deciduous forests with open sunny areas or forest edges, sometimes near running water. A lowland species sometimes observed up to 1000 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement modest, population density can be high.

Foodplants
Caterpillars feed on Lathyrus niger, L. vernus and often on introduced Robinia pseudoacacia.
Butterflies rarely seen feeding on low flowers, mudd-pudling.

Distribution
Albania: one unconfirmed record from the Northern Albanian Alps 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
Neptis sappho is not endangered.
Albanian Red List: NA.
IUCN Red List, category at the Mediterranean level: NA.

Useful links
Pyrgus.de
Lepiforum
Euroleps

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