Leptidea juvernica Williams, 1946

Host plants:
The larvae feed on several Fabaceae like Vicia, Lotus, Coronilla, Dorycnium and obviously especially Lathyrus pratensis.

Habitat:
Leptidea juvernica inhabits nutrient-poor grasslands, pastures, wetlands, open (pine) woodland and similar habitats. It is - obviously contrarily to L. sinapis - also often found in wetland habitats. I recorded Leptidea juvernica for example in humid woodland edges together with Coenonympha hero and Zygaena osterodensis (S-Germany near Heidenheim/Brenz). There is no clear separation between Leptidea juvernica and L. sinapis. Thus both may occur together in many sites.

Life cycle:
The adults occur in most often two generations between April and August/September. The oviposition occurs singly on lower sides of leaves or on stems. The hibernation occurs in the pupal stage.

Remarks:
Leptidea juvernica can only be distinguished from its sister species L. juvernica by examination of the genitalia. In the northern Alps Leptidea juvernica is hardly found, but further north usually both taxa occur. A third taxon, L. reali, is only distinguishable from Leptidea juvernica by molecular methods. This taxon is so far not found in central Europe, but e.g. from the spanish Pyrenees to southern France and N-Italy.

The total distributions extends from Ireland across parts of Europe to Kazakhstan.