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Hipparchia fagi, the woodland grayling, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.[3]
| Hipparchia fagi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| in Andorra | |
_male_Macedonia.jpg) | |
| male, Republic of North Macedonia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Genus: | Hipparchia |
| Species: | H. fagi |
| Binomial name | |
| Hipparchia fagi | |
| Synonyms | |
The Latin species name fagi, meaning of "beech" (=fagus), refers to the prevailing species of trees in the relating biotope.
- Hipparchia fagi tetrica Fruhstorfer, 1907[2]
This widespread European endemic species can be found in most of Europe, mainly south of the Alps[2] (Albania; Andorra; Austria; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Italy; Macedonia; Montenegro; Portugal; Romania; Russia; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Switzerland; Ukraine).[4] It occurs on broad-leaved deciduous forests, coniferous woodland, grassy vegetation, in woodland glades and woodland rides and, from sea level to 1,600 m elevation.[5]
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Hipparchia fagi has a wingspan of 66–76 millimetres (2.6–3.0 in).[6] These large butterflies have dark brown uppersides of the wings, with a fringed margin, a white submarginal band more evident in the females and one black eyelet at the apex of each forewings. In the males the white band has a single very small eyelet on each hindwing, sometimes showing a white pupil, while in the females it shows one or two ocelli.[7]
The underside of the forewings is rather similar to the upperside: The hindwings are marbled of brown and white with a broad white band. The white band on the internal edge of the underside hindwings is curved, while the white band on the underside forewings is often without a significant indent.[8]
The colouration and pattern of these butterflies are an excellent camouflage on the bark of the trunks where the butterfly usually rests, with the eyespots hidden by the closed wings.[5] This species is similar but larger than Hipparchia hermione. It is also rather similar to Hipparchia syriaca and Hipparchia genava.
The caterpillar has a pale brown head with four darker streaks. Body is light brown with a bifid posterior end, a dark brown dorsal band and brownish lateral bands.[9]
female
courting - female on the left
mating - female on the right
_female_Macedonia.jpg)
_courting_female_(l)_male_(r)_Macedonia.jpg)
.JPG)
Female
Female underside
Male
Male underside
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Adults fly from June to September.[6] This species has one generation a year. The caterpillars overwinter. The larvae feed on various types of grass, such as Brachypodium pinnatum, Bromus erectus, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus and Holcus mollis.[2][5]
- Kudrna, O. (1977): A Revision of the Genus Hipparchia Fabricius. — 300 S., Faringdon – London
- Kudrna, O., Harpke, A., Lux, K., Pennerstorfer, J., Schweiger, O., Settele, J. & M. Wiemers (2011): Distribution atlas of butterflies in Europe. – 576 S.; Halle a.d. Saale
- Lionel G. Higgins et Norman D. Riley, Guide des papillons d'Europe, Delachaux et Niestlé, 1988, (Lausanne).
- Tom Tolman, Richard Lewington, Guide des papillons d'Europe et d'Afrique du Nord, Delachaux et Niestlé, (ISBN 978-2-603-01649-7).
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