Calliptamus plebeius (Walker, 1870)

Nutrition:
The species feeds on grasses and herbs. They also feed on the Rubus fruticosus agg. leaves that are occasionally interspersed in the habitats.

Habitat:
Calliptamus plebeius inhabits xerothermic habitats with open ground spots, but also in places dense vegetation of grasses and small shrubs. I met it on stony to rocky, grassy slopes in the area of Valle Hermosa in La Gomera on Christmas 2008 in larger numbers.

Life cycle:
The adults seem to be observed throughout the year. Besides adults, I met also larvae in December 2008. Calliptamus plebeius is a good flier in both sexes. The females remained more at the grass, the males more on the open ground. Presumably, the eggs are laid in the ground.

Remarks:
Calliptamus plebeius is endemic to the Canary Islands. Here it seems to lack only in Fuerteventura.