Libythea celtis (Laicharting, 1782)

Host plants:
Hackberry (Celtis)

Habitat:
Libythea celtis inhabits grove-rich rocky slopes, loose scrub and settlement edges with stone walls and the occurrence of Celtis. I met many larvae in northern Greece in a ancient castle
with Celtis (Olympus).

Life cycle:
The adults overwinter and can be observed in the spring (e.g. in March and April, Valle di Susa). Caterpillars are found from April, but most often in May (as on 20/05/2007 on the outskirts of Susa in Italy, Piedmont, on the edge of a rocky hillside). The caterpillars have there been found at least in last instar exclusively on the upper leaf surface, where a slight cushion was spun. But they are much more mobile than is the case with Apatura. I watched young caterpillars in May 2011 in northern Greece quite numerous on the lower leaf surface, however, the later instars on both sides of the leaves. The eggs are deposited on young leaves (both sides) or the leaf stalk, also on twigs.

Pupation also takes place on the leaves (both sides). The literature indicates that the adults that hatch in June reproduce at least partially, so that larvae are observed again in late June/early July. The resulting adults overwinter then. This second generation is as already written only partial.

The adults sometimes migrate in large numbers into the mountains for estivation. In early May 2019 I observed thousands of adults flying northward in NE-Greece (Drama and other parts).

Endangerment factors:
Libythea celtis is endangered by the loss of open shrub on the foot of rocky slopes (afforestation, overbuilding, agriculture) and the urbanization of villages. But it is still relatively common in the south. You usually find the larvae quite easily and steadily when investigating Celtis trees.

Remarks:
Libythea celtis occurs only south of the Alps, as in Ticino and in Piedmont. In southern Europe it is quite widespread. I also met some adults on the Greek Mount Olympus in rather damp pastures (nectar habitat) with Pyrgus armoricanus, which were surrounded by dry forest.

The total distribution extends from northwestern Africa across Southern Europe and parts of Asia to Japan.