Butterfly lentochnik - description, habitat, species

In a warm period of time, on forest edges or the banks of ponds, you can meet butterflies with characteristic spots on the wings. This is a butterfly poplar ribbon, it replenishes its reserves of trace elements.

Description

Poplar ribbon - one of the largest butterflies belonging to the nymphalidae family. Its wingspan ranges from 6 to 8.5 cm. The surface of the wings has a dark brown color, in the sun you can see a green-blue, pearl overflow.

On the front wings, the pattern consists of white spots scattered in a chaotic order and small orange holes along the edge. The hind wings are decorated with a white border and a pattern of saturated orange and black spots.

The lower part of the wings is red-orange with a blue or gray-blue edging. Pattern of merging small or separate large white spots. The front wings are more elongated, while the hind wings have rounded outlines and a wavy edge of pale blue or white.

The head of the insect is large with large faceted eyes, without hairs. The body of the poplar ribbon is plain, dark brown in color. Extremities walking, front legs shortened type. Such a trait is a feature of all representatives of the nymphalide species. The reduced legs are not suitable for walking, because they have no claws, as well as segments. At the same time, the limbs of the butterfly are densely dotted with hairs and are considered the organ of touch, thanks to them the insect finds food.

Subspecies

Butterflies of poplar ribbon, depending on the color of the wings, are divided into 4 types:

1. Main.
2. Japanese.
3. Butterflies that live mainly in the Amur region, with bandages and large white spots.
4. Tape with a predominant metallic sheen, lives in China and Tibet.

Habitat

This type of butterfly is widespread in the countries of Northern and Eastern Europe and Asia. The Lentochnik, who previously lived in Denmark, is no longer found in these parts, nor can he be found in England, Spain and Italy. In Russia, the insect lives in Siberia, Transcarpathia, the Far East, is often found in Japan, China, Mongolia and the mountainous regions of Tibet.

Lifestyle

Compared to most day butterflies, this species prefers to live secretly. Ribbon females hide most of the day in the crowns of trees and fly down only to eat. Their food is made up of flowers or organic residues. More often it is possible to observe males gathering in whole groups on forest paths or in places with high humidity.

Poplar ribbon is found in mixed forests, groves and fields with fodder plants. In addition, asphalt roads are of great interest to them, due to the heat source and the ability to find additional food.

The diet of this species consists of animal excrement, the corpses of frogs, mouse-like rodents, putrefactive fruits, less often flowers and umbrella plants.

Within the range of habitat, the imago begins years from June to July, in warm regions from May.

Ribbon males appear from pupae earlier than females. Only one generation can develop during the year. Butterflies are capable of moving easily and quickly over long distances. By the end of their life cycle, they fly away from their usual places to marshy areas or agricultural land.

Reproduction of poplar ribbon

Even before the female exits the chrysalis, the males saturate the body with microelements and begin to divide the territory into separate sections. This is a characteristic behavior for the whole species.After the completion of the mating period, the female lays an egg on the edge of a tree leaf, in 7 days the embryo will sufficiently develop and leave the shell. The caterpillar matures on willow, poplar or aspen.

The hatched caterpillars are initially black with numerous warts throughout the body, after wintering noticeably grow to 5 cm in length and change color to green, with dark brown spots. The head of the insect is colored brown with two voluminous growths in the form of horns. As a rule, they pupate on the leaves of trees in the month of June. Pupa rather large, yellow, with small black spots. After 2 weeks, a representative of a new generation of poplar ribbon will appear from it.

Insect abundance

The abundance of this species of butterflies changes every year, and, above all, this is due to such factors:

1. Weather conditions. Sudden cooling and bad weather contribute to the death of males, in turn, unfertilized females are not able to lay eggs.
2. Various diseases.
3. Attack of predators and the influence of parasites.
4. Death on the road. About 15% of males die under the wheels of vehicles.
5. Deforestation.

All of the above factors significantly reduce the population of this type of butterfly. In some European countries and regional regions of Russia, poplar ribbon is listed in the Red Book.

Video: Butterfly Ribbon (Limenitis populi)