Het mysterieuze leven van de essenpage. The mysterious life of Laeosopis roboris
Auteurs : Kan (Pieter) et Kan-Van Limburg Stirum (Brigitte)
Année de publication : 2009
Publication : Vlinders
Volume :
24
Fascicule : 3
Pagination : 19-21
Résumé :
Little is known about the ecology and biology of the Spanish Purple Hairstreak (Laeosopis roboris). It was assumed that the Common Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) was the only host plant. In order to investigate its biology, the authors filmed the butterfly in the valley of a small river, near their home in the Provence. Females were seen depositing eggs on the lower branches of Phillyrea latifolia (Green Olive Tree) and on Common Ash in the river bed. The branches were often covered with river deposits, under which the caterpillars were later found.The eggs were monitored during the winter, and in spring it appeared that they had survived submersion in fast flowing water. In fact, a period of submersion seems to be important for the eggs to hatch. The caterpillars resulting from a small breeding experiment fed on P. latifolia, proving that the ash is not its only host plant. They were intensively visited by ants (Lasius niger and L. cinereus). SN 0923-1846 UT ZOOREC:ZOOR14510065961 ER -