Holly blue - Celastrina argiolus (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cyprus

 See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Family:Lycaenidae

The holly blue (Celastrina argiolus) is a butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family and is native to Eurasia and North America.

The holly blue has pale silver-blue wings spotted with pale ivory dots. Seitz describes it "Male above shining violet blue, only the apical portion of the costal margin being minutely edged with white. The female has both wings broadly bordered with dark, the margin of the hindwing bearing vestiges of ocelli. Underside silver-white, in the disc a row of black dots, some of which are elongate, and before the margin blackish shadowy dots. Egg very flat, whitish. Larva green or brown, marked with yellowish white, bearing catenulate stripes on the back, on segment 7 a gland to attract ants; head brown. On Ivy, Ilex, Evonymus, Rhamnus, Robinia, Genista, Spartium, Astragalus, Rubus, Erica, Pyrus and many other plants; in Europe visited usually by ants of the genus Lasius; in June and the autumn. Pupa mostly fastened to the underside of a leaf, ochreous with brown spots and markings. The butterflies in the spring and again in July, occasionally a third time at the end of August and in September, everywhere common, particularly at the flowers of ivy and brambles." In Europe, the first generation feeds mainly on the holly species Ilex aquifolium but the second generation uses a range of food plants.

The holly blue is the national butterfly of Finland.

This species was originally described as Papilio argiolus by Linnaeus in 1758, and refers to the examples flying in Europe. In their monograph on the Lycaenopsis group of polyommatine genera, Eliot & Kawazoe, 1983, list 14 taxa as valid subspecies names, plus many further synonyms to which they accord lesser status. According to Eliot & Kawazoe, 1983
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_blue


Photos and video, Troodos 24/6/2018 by George Konstantinou

Cleopatra or Cleopatra butterfly - Gonepteryx cleopatra (Linnaeus, 1767) - Cyprus

 See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Gonepteryx cleopatra, the Cleopatra or Cleopatra butterfly, is a medium-
sized butterfly of the family Pieridae

Gonepteryx cleopatra is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of about 50–70 mm (2.0-2.8 in). It is a sexually dimorphic species - the female has pale yellow or greenish wings, the male is darker yellow with an orange patch on the forewing. Both sexes have a forewing apical hook and brown dots in the center of each wing, and the underside of wings is light greenish yellow. The greenish color, the shape and the pronounced venation on the hindwings give to these butterflies a good camouflage, making them resemble just leaves

The Cleopatra butterfly inhabits open woodland and scrub. The flight period is from May to August in most parts of its range, except Spain, where it is double brooded and may fly almost all year. The adult hibernates in evergreen trees and shrubs. The caterpillars feed on the buckthorns Rhamnus alaternus. When the green caterpillars are prepared to pass to the pupal stage, they tie themselves through a silk belt to the host plant, on the underside of a leaf. The green chrysalis became gradually yellow and red, revealing the colors on the wings of the adult close to flutter.

This species is native to the Mediterranean region (Southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia).

Photos Nicosia,Geri 3/5/2018 by George Konstantinou

Aporia crataegi (Linnaeus, 1758) - The black-veined white - Cyprus

Family Pieridae

Aporia crataegi, the black-veined white, is a large butterfly of the family Pieridae.

Distribution and habitat
It occurs in open forest, grazing land, orchards. lanes, gardens, meadows and thickets throughout most of Europe, temperate Asia, Korea, and Japan. It is normally found at altitudes of 500 to 2,000 metres (1,600 to 6,600 ft). This species is extinct in the British Isles. In Cyprus Aporia crataegi is very rare and can be seen at few localities.

Description
The black-veined white has a wingspan of 51 to 70 mm (2.0 to 2.8 in). Females are commonly larger than males. The upperside of both forewings and hindwings is a translucent white boldly veined with black. The underside is similar in the male but the female has brown veining. Moreover, the female loses most of her scales by rubbing her wings together, resulting almost-transparent.

This butterfly can be distinguished from other members of white butterflies of the genus Pieris by its distinctive veined wings.

The eggs are yellow at first, darkening with age. The caterpillars are greenish grey with transverse banding. The pupa is creamy white, marked with black, attached by a silken girdle to a twig.

Biology
The flight period of the black-veined white is between April and July. The adults are quite social and their abundance varies greatly from year to year. The eggs are laid on the food plant, usually a member of the rose family Rosaceae and often on trees and bushes (Malus domestica, Malus micromalus, Pyrus communis, Pyrus serotina, Sorbus intermedia, Sorbus hybrida, Sorbus aucuparia, Crataegus monogyna, Crataegus oxyacantha, Crataegus jozana, Prunus spinosa, Prunus padus, Prunus ssiori, Betula spp., Salix phylicifolia, Chaenomeles lagenaria).

The eggs are laid in groups of 30 to 100. They take about three weeks to hatch. The caterpillars tend to remain in a group with a communal larval web. This species has one generation each year. The caterpillars overwinter communally in a webbing tent with entwined leaves. Caterpillars feed close together on the leaves of the food plant at first, before dispersing in the later developmental stages to other parts of the tree. The pupal stage lasts about three weeks. Info from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aporia_crataegi

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Photos by Michael Hadjiconstantis at Troodos, Jun 2017. 

Eastern Rock Grayling , Syrian Grayling - Hipparchia syriaca cypriaca (Staudinger, 1879) - Endemic subspecies of Cyprus

Ενδημικό υποείδος της Κύπρου
Endemic subspecies of Cyprus
Hipparchia syriaca cypriaca is a species of butterfly in the Nymphalidae family

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

 Photos Kalogrea 12/6/2016 by George Konstantinou    

Small copper, American copper, or the common copper - Lycaena phlaeas (Linnaeus, 1761) - Cyprus

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Family:Lycaenidae

The small copper, American copper, or the common copper (Lycaena phlaeas) is a butterfly of the Lycaenids or gossamer-winged butterfly family. According to Guppy and Shepard (2001), its specific name phlaeas is said to be derived either from the Greek Phlego, "to burn up" or from the Latin Floreo, "to flourish".
The upperside forewings are a bright orange with a dark outside edge border and with eight or nine black spots. The hindwings are dark with an orange border. Some females also have a row of blue spots inside the orange border and are known as form caeruleopunctata. The undersides are patterned in a similar way but are paler. The black spots on the forewings are outlined in yellow and the dark colouring is replaced by a pale brownish, gray. The hindwings are the same brown/grey colour with small black dots and a narrow orange border. The caterpillars (larvae) are usually green, but some have a purple stripe down the middle of the back and along each side.

It is widespread and common across Europe, Asia, and North America, and also found in North Africa south through to Ethiopia.

It can be found almost anywhere in south/central England and Wales although never, it seems, in large numbers. Its distribution becomes more patchy in northern England, Scotland and Ireland.

It is found in a wide variety range of habitats from chalk downlands, heathland, woodland clearings to churchyards and waste ground in cities.

In bright sun it is a very active little butterfly with the males setting up small territories which they will defend vigorously against rival males or indeed any unlucky passing insect. Even the shadow of a large bird passing overhead is enough to elicit a response. Females are pursued and mating usually occurs in vegetation.

The eggs are laid singly and conspicuously on the upperside of foodplant leaves and the young caterpillar feeds on the underside of the leaf creating "windows" by leaving the upper epidermis of the leaf untouched. Pupation takes place in the leaf litter and the pupa is thought to be tended by ants. There are between two and three broods a year, fewer further north. In exceptionally good years, a fourth brood sometimes occurs in the south and adults can still be seen flying into November. The species overwinters as a caterpillar.

Depending on the habitat, common sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and sheep's sorrel (Rumex acetosella) are the two main food-plants, although other docks (Rumex spp.) are occasionally used.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Potamia, 16/6/2011  by George Konstantinou

Orange tip - Anthocharis cardamines (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cyprus

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

The orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines) is a butterfly in the family Pieridae.
The common name derives from the bright orange tips of the male's forewings. The males are a common sight in spring, flying along hedgerows and damp meadows in search of the more reclusive female which lacks the orange and is often mistaken for one of the other 'white' butterflies. The undersides are mottled green and white and create a superb camouflage when settled on flowerheads such as cow parsley and garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata). The male is able to hide his orange tips by tucking the forewings behind the hindwings at rest. On close examination of the mottling, the green colour can be seen to be made up of a mixture of black and yellow scales. The butterfly is found across Europe, and eastwards into temperate Asia as far as Japan. The past 30 years have seen a rapid increase in the range of the orange tip in the UK, particularly in Scotland and Ireland, probably in response to climate change.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Agios Epiktitos  by George Konstantinou

Cyprus Meadow Brown - Maniola cypricola - Endemic to Cyprus

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Endemic to Cyprus.

Family:Nymphalidae

Maniola cypricola on endemic plant  Lomelosia cyprica 

                               Strange Cyprus Meadow Brown (Maniola cypricola) 

Grass Jewel - Freyeria trochylus or Chilades trochylus (Freyer 1845) - Cyprus

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Family:Lycaenidae

The Grass Jewel (Chilades trochylus) is a small butterfly found in Africa, southern Europe, India and southern Asia that belongs to the Lycaenids or Blues family.

"When full-grown a little over a quarter of an inch in length, onisciform as usual; the head very small, black and shining, entirely hidden when at rest, being covered by the second segment; the colour of the body grass-green, with a dark green dorsal line from the third to the twelfth segment; two subdorsal series of short parallel streaks, each pair being divided from the next by the segmental constriction, these streaks paler than the ground-colour; an almost pure white lateral line below the spiracles, which is the most conspicuous of all the markings ; the segmental constrictions rather deep ; the whole surface of the body shagreened, being covered with very small whitish tubercles, from which spring very fine short colourless hair's. The usual extensile organ on the twelfth segment. Dr. George King, Superintendent of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Sibpur, near Calcutta, has identified its food-plant as Heliotropium strigosum, Willd. Professor A. Forel identifies the ant as Pheidole quadrispinosa, Jerdon." (de Niceville quoted by Bingham)

Other food plants noted include Goniogyna hirta. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Latsia  by George Konstantinou

Red Admiral - Vanessa atalanta (Linnaeus, 1758) - Cyprus

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Family:Nymphalidae

The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) is a well-known colourful butterfly, found in temperate Europe, Asia and North America. The Red Admiral has a 45–50 mm (1.8–2.0 in) wing span. The species is resident only in warmer areas, but migrates north in spring, and sometimes again in autumn.

This medium-sized butterfly is identified by its striking dark brown, red, and black wing pattern. More specifically, the dark wings possess orange bands that cross the fore wings and on the outer edge of the hind wings; white spots on the dorsal fore wings near the front margin; reddish bars on dorsal surface of all four wings. The caterpillar feeds on nettles, and the adult drinks from flowering plants like the Buddleia and overripe fruit.

In northern Europe, it is one of the last butterflies to be seen before winter sets in, often feeding on the flowers of ivy on sunny days. The Red Admiral is also known to hibernate, re-emerging individuals showing prominently darker colourings than first brood subjects. The butterfly also flies on sunny winter days, especially in southern Europe.

In North America, the Red Admiral generally has two broods from March through October. Most of North America must be recolonized each spring by southern migrants, but this species over-winters in south Texas.

The Red Admiral is the butterfly featured by Vladimir Nabokov, an amateur lepidopterist, in his novel Pale Fire.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Latsia  by George Konstantinou

Cyprus Grayling - Hipparchia cypriensis (Holik,1949) - Endemic to Cyprus

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Endemic to Cyprus

Family Nymphalidae

Photos Troodos  by George Konstantinou 

Hermit - Chazara briseis larnacana (Linnaeus,1764) - Cyprus

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

family Nymphalidae

The Hermit (Chazara briseis) is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae. It can be found in North Africa, Southern Europe,Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Middle Asia through Afghanistan, and North-Western China and Tuva.

The wingspan is 45–60 mm. The butterflies fly from July to September depending on the location.

The larvae feed on Sesleria coerulea and Gramineae, Sesleria, Festuca, Stipa, Poa, Brachypodium and Lolium species.

.From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photos Athalassa  by George Konstantinou 

Dark Grass Blue - Zizeeria karsandra (Moore, 1865) - Cyprus

See also - List of butterflys of Cyprus - Λίστα των πεταλούδων της Κύπρου

Family:Lycaenidae

Zizeeria karsandra, the dark grass blue, is a small butterfly first described by Frederic Moore in 1865. It is found from the southern Mediterranean, in a broad band to India, Sri Lanka, the Andaman and Nicobar islands, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Yunnan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman, New Guinea and northern and eastern Australia. It belongs to the lycaenids or blues family, and the tribe Polyommatini.

Description

Frederic Moore described this species on 1865 as: "Upperside purple-brown. Underside greyish brown, exterior margins defined by a brown line: fore wing with a spot within discoidal cell, a discocellular streak, a spot above it, and a transverse discal series of six spots black, each encircled with white; a marginal and submarginal row of pale brown, white-bordered lunules: hind wing with a series of twelve black spots, and a pale discocellular streak, encircled with white; a marginal row of pale brown, whitish-encircled spots, and a submarginal row of whitish lunules: cilia greyish brown."

Food plants

The recorded food plants include:

Zornia diphylla

Amaranthus viridis (in association with the ant Tapinoma melanocephalum)

Amaranthus tricolor

Amaranthus viridis

Melilotus indica

Medicago sativa

Zornia diphylla

Trifolium alexandrinum

Glinus lotoides

Tribulus cistoides

Tribulus terrestris

Photos Athalassa 10/10/2014 by George Konstantinou