![Photo: celtis3.jpg](../pics/c/celtis3.jpg)
Lesbos, Greece, April 2005
Worn example emerging in warm weather after winter hibernation.
![Photo: celtis17.jpg](../pics/c/celtis17.jpg)
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.
![Photo: celtis15.jpg](../pics/c/celtis15.jpg)
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
![Photo: celtis23.jpg](../pics/c/celtis23.jpg)
![Photo: celtis22.jpg](../pics/c/celtis22.jpg)
Rome, Italy, September 2022
![Photo: celtis21.jpg](../pics/c/celtis21.jpg)
Var, France, April 2018
![Photo: celtis18.jpg](../pics/c/celtis18.jpg)
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
![Photo: celtis13.jpg](../pics/c/celtis13.jpg)
![Photo: celtis12.jpg](../pics/c/celtis12.jpg)
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
![Photo: celtis10.jpg](../pics/c/celtis10.jpg)
![Photo: celtis11.jpg](../pics/c/celtis11.jpg)
S Greece, June 2013
![Photo: celtis20.jpg](../pics/c/celtis20.jpg)
![Photo: celtis19.jpg](../pics/c/celtis19.jpg)
Gennargentu, Sardinia, Italy, July 2015
![Photo: celtis16.jpg](../pics/c/celtis16.jpg)
Peloppensos, Greece, June 2013
![Photo: celtis9.jpg](../pics/c/celtis9.jpg)
Piedmont, Italy, July 2012
![Photo: celtis1.jpg](../pics/c/celtis1.jpg)
![Photo: celtis4.jpg](../pics/c/celtis4.jpg)
![Photo: celtis2.jpg](../pics/c/celtis2.jpg)
Macedonia, Greece, July 2004
![Photo: celtis6.jpg](../pics/c/celtis6.jpg)
Macedonia, Greece, June 1995
(c) Peter Rowlings
![Photo: celtis5.jpg](../pics/c/celtis5.jpg)
Cevennes, France, August 1990
(c) Peter Rowlings
![Photo: celtis7.jpg](../pics/c/celtis7.jpg)
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.
![Photo: celtis8.jpg](../pics/c/celtis8.jpg)
Macedonia, Greece, July 2000
Demonstration of the effectiveness of the cryptic wing shape and coloration.