Chapman's Green Hairstreak (Callophrys avis) скачать в хорошем качестве

Chapman's Green Hairstreak (Callophrys avis)

Chapman’s Green Hairstreak (Callophrys avis (Chapman, 1909)), in the South of France. This Mediterranean butterfly is very localized in the maquis in the PACA region. The most important populations are in the massif of the Maures (Var) and in the garrigues of the Gard. This beautiful emerald green butterfly flies in a single generation between mid-March and early May. In Provence, Chapman’s Green Hairstreak lives in the clear woods of Cork oak (Quercus suber) and maquis shrubland with Strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo) and tree Heath (Erica arborea). The eye of Chapman’s Green Hairstreak is slightly reddish-brown eye contour characteristic of this species. The female lays more than 50 eggs, which she deposits preferentially on the buds and young shoots of its host plant, the Strawberry tree. After about 15 days, the eggs hatch. As soon as it has hatched, the yellowish-coloured caterpillar feeds on the bud and then on the epidermis of young tender leaves. From the third stage, the caterpillar is green and now eats the leaf through its thickness and moves to other, more distant leaves. After about 6 weeks, the caterpillar prepares to pupate and becomes pinkish. It goes down into the leaf-litter where it turns into a chrysalis a few days later. It is not until the following spring that the butterfly emerges, at dawn. The upper sides of the wings of Chapman’s Green Hairstreak are red-brown. Although the Strawberry tree is rather common and wide spread in southern Var, it is remarkable that Chapman’s Green Hairstreak is so localized and scarce in this region. Further studies are needed to reveal the secrets essential to its survival. On 25th July, severe forest fires unfortunately devasted thousands of hectares near Bormes-les-Mimosas where we filmed the life-cycle of Chapman’s Green Hairstreak. By now the chrysalis are hidden in the leaf-litter but there is no certainty that they will have survived the heat. Next year will reveal whether or not the population has survived. For more information visit our website Filming VarWild http://www.filming-varwild.com/a-avis... http://www.filming-varwild.com/index-...