Muschampia cribrellum (Eversmann, 1841)

Host plants:
In W-Bulgaria I observed oviposition and numerous eggs and young larvae on Fragaria viridis (Rosaceae). In rearing Potentilla verna has been accepted as well. In North Macedonia Potentilla is reported from the field.

Habitat:
Muschampia cribrellum inhabits mostly grazed nutrient-poor grasslands, steppes, rocky slopes or similar places where the larvae develop at spots with favourable microclimatic conditions (e.g. on shallow rocks or low-growing spots).

Life cycle:
The adults occur in May and June (in higher altitudes still in July, e.g. Mount Olympus in Greece). The eggs are deposited on the lower side of the leaflets or on the leaf stalks. The young larvae in the first and second instars live within a typical Muschampia shelter on a leaflet with partial incision. They aestivate as L3 and hibernate as L4. They are mature in April and early May.

Remarks:
Muschampia cribrellum is a typical species of the Eurasian steppe belt with main distribution between the Ukraine and European Russia in the West and the Amur river, Mongolia and N-China in the East. Further to the West (in SE-Europe) the range of this species is more scattered in S-Serbia, Romania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Bulgaria and N-Greece.

Literature:
Wagner & Kolev (2019): Muschampia cribrellum (Eversmann, 1841) — preimaginal stages and their ecology in W-Bulgaria (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae).- Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N. F. 40 (2): 113–117.