Melanargia lachesis

Melanargia lachesis

Melanargia lachensis, in reference to the English name Iberian Marbled White also called Iberian chessboard, is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family Nymphalidae ( Nymphalidae ). The species name is derived from Lachesis (Greek Λάχεσις " Zuteilerin " ) a daughter of Zeus and the goddess Themis from.

Features

The moths reach a wingspan of 50-56 millimeters. Your wing tops are like a chessboard spotted black or dark brown and white. The cell on the top of the front wing, in contrast to the other species of the genus melanargia, white in color and only dusted basal black. In the Postdiskalregion are usually three black, white cored and wide white border ocelli present. The Flügeladerung is black. The underwings are mostly white to pale brownish in color and have no dark cross bands, only on the front edge, a little darker colored stain may be present. There are copies, the lower wing surface is colored almost pure white.

Occurrence and Habitat

The moths are on the Iberian peninsula, with the exception of Cantabria and parts of the Basque Country. The presence extends across the eastern Pyrenees to the Roussillon and the southern Languedoc. The Rhone forms the eastern border of distribution. They come from the plane before up to about 1,600 meters above sea level. They prefer dry, flowery, natural meadows, which may be overgrown with bushes.

Way of life

The moths fly from June and up into August. They often sit on Knapweed (Centaurea ), scabious ( Scabiosa ), thistles ( Cirsium ) and ring thistles ( Carduus ) and suck nectar. The caterpillar food plants are various grasses. The caterpillar overwinters.