Fluturat e Shqipërisë
Butterflies of Albania

Sylvain Cuvelier =
Anila Paparisto =

Last update: 05.viii.2023

Satyrus ferula / Great Sooty Satyr
Ferulja
Nymphalidae - Satyrinae

Satyrus ferula (Fabricius, 1793). TL: Italy.

1a. Satyrus ferula, distribution map. Historical data ; Additional data from the 2018 update ; New observations since the 2018 update.
1b. Satyrus ferula ♂ underside. Valikardhë, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1c. Habitat of Satyrus ferula. Mali i Thatë, Albania (© Sylvain Cuvelier)
1d. Satyrus ferula ♂ underside. Shkelzen, Albania (© Lulëzim Shuka)
1e. Satyrus ferula ♂ upperside. Lumit te Gashit, Albania (© Lulëzim Shuka)
1f. Satyrus ferula ♀ upperside. Maja e Thanasit, Albania (© Lulëzim Shuka)

Description
♂♂
Large butterfly. Fw: 25-30 mm.
Ups: dark brown-black gc.
Upf: no sex-brand, white-pupilled ocelli in s2 and s5, often small white dots in s3 and s4.
Uph: unmarked.
Unf: paler gc, similar markings.
Unh: paler gc, paler postdiscal band.
♀♀
Larger.
Ups: pale brown gc.
Upf: paler postdiscal band enclosing larger white-pupilled ocelli in s2 and s5,variable white dots in s3 and s4.
Uns: pale brown gc.
Unh: variable dark basal area or discal band followed by whitish band.

Similar species

Minois dryas Size:similar. Upf: two blue-pupilled ocelli in s2 and s5. Upf: ♂♂ lacking or inconspicuous ocelli in s3 and s4. Upf: ♀♀ no additional or inconspicuous white dots. Uph: ♀♀ no pale orange band. Uph: scalloped margins. Unf: two blue-pupilled ocelli in s2 and s5. Unf: ♂♂ no additional or inconspicuous white dots. Unf: ♀♀ no additional or inconspicuous white dots. Unh: ♂♂ almost uniform pattern. Unh: ♀♀ grey-brown gc. Unh: scalloped margins.

Life cycle
Adults: single generation from mid-June to end-August.
Egg: short stage.
Caterpillar: overwintering as small larva.
Pupa: short stage.

Habitat
Satyrus ferula inhabits open, dry grasslands on rocky slopes from 400 up to 1800 m a.s.l.
Spatial requirement is moderate, population density often hight.

Foodplants
Caterpillars feed mainly on Festuca ovina and Bromus erectus, also mentioned are Deschampsia caespitosa, Stipa capillata and S. pennata.
Butterflies feed on a large 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, Caucasus and further east.

Conservation status
Satyrus ferula 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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