Lesbos, Greece, April 2005
Worn example emerging in warm weather after winter hibernation.
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
Field notes and information
This is Europe's sole representative of the snout family, Libytheidae. They are characterised by long palpi that resemble a long nose.
Identification & Similar species: It is a highly cryptic butterfly closely resembling a dead leaf when it rests amongst leaf litter. Its hindwing also has a lobe which extends beyond the forewing when at rest, thus breaking up the typical outline of a butterfly. Perfect camouflage for a hibernating adult butterfly.
Distribution & Flight: It flies across southern Europe including central eastern countries and also on several of the Mediterranean islands in summer before hibernating in the extreme heat of August, not re-emerging until the first warm days of spring.
Habitat & Behaviour: Open light woodland, shrubs, towns. In spring hibernated specimens can be found circling the larval food plant, the nettle-tree, Celtis australis.
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
Rome, Italy, September 2022
Var, France, April 2018
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
S Greece, June 2013
Gennargentu, Sardinia, Italy, July 2015
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
Piedmont, Italy, July 2012
Macedonia, Greece, July 2004
Macedonia, Greece, June 1995
(c) Peter Rowlings
Cevennes, France, August 1990
(c) Peter Rowlings
Provence, France, June 2003
Nettle Tree, the larval food plant around which I found a hibernated adult flying 2 months earlier, before leaves had budded.
Macedonia, Greece, July 2000
Demonstration of the effectiveness of the cryptic wing shape and coloration.