Butterflies of
Europe
Sloe Hairstreak
Satyrium acaciae
FABRICIUS, 1787
Family - LYCAENIDAE
subfamily -
THECLINAE
|
 |
|
Sloe Hairstreak
Satyrium acaciae, Aggtelek hills, Hungary
© Peter Bruce-Jones |
Introduction
There are 64 described species in the genus
Satyrium, which has at various times been known by the
invalid synonyms Neolycaena,
Nordmannia,
Pseudothecla and Strymonidia.
The genus occurs across the temperate, sub-arctic and subtropical
regions of the northern hemisphere.
There are 7 species in Europe -
acaciae, ilicis,
esculi, spini,
w-album, pruni
and ledereri; of which only
w-album and
pruni occur in Britain.
Satyrium
acaciae is found in northern Spain, and east across most of
south and central Europe but is absent from southern Italy and the
Mediterranean islands. Beyond Europe it's range extends to Turkey
and southern Russia.
Habitats
This species is found in a wide variety of habitats including
woodland clearings and glades, field edges, dry scrubby heathland,
sub-alpine woodland / meadow mosaics and alpine grasslands. It
occurs at altitudes between sea level and about 2000m.
Lifecycle
The adults are
single-brooded, emerging in June and July.
The eggs are laid
singly or sometimes in two's or three's in the forks of blackthorn
stems. They overwinter, and hatch the following February or March.
The plump green
caterpillars feed on blackthorn Prunus
spinosa, resting openly on the foliage, against which they
are superbly camouflaged. In common with other Lycaenidae they are
almost certainly involved in a mutually beneficial relationship
with ants.
Adult behaviour
The butterflies
are strongly attracted to yarrow flowers
Achillea, and also to ox-eye daisy, thyme, stonecrop and
bramble.
|
