Scolitantides bavius (Eversmann, 1832)

Host plants:
The caterpillars live on Salvia species. In W-Romania (Cluij-Napoca) the host plant is Salvia nutans and in N-Greece (Kozani) S. ringens und S. officinalis. In the Peloponnese (S-Greece) Salvia verbenaca is used.

Habitat:
Scolitantides bavius inhabits xerothermic, partly stony grassland slopes, which are grazed extensively.

Life cycle:
Scolitantides bavius has a single generation from late April to early June. I met a few butterflies in the first week of May 2008 in Northern Greece. In Mid-May 2011, the males were quite numerous in the Askio Mountains. They like to suck on moist trails and rocks from which some moisture oozes (minerals). In early June I recorded eggs on Salvia ringens there.
In Romania the flight time is similar most often between mid- or late April and May (peak often in early May or even late April). Oviposition takes place on young inflorescences (young flower buds). The larvae feed between mid-May and early July on the flowers and fruits. The pupa hibernates on/in the soil.

Endangerment factors:
Scolitantides bavius is threatened at its few European sites in places mainly by overgrazing and destruction of habitats e.g. due to road construction etc. Additionally, abandonment of extensive grazings can displace Scolitantides bavius in the long term. A new form of threat is the widespread construction of wind and solar parks, which are located preferentially in the less economically significant areas like grasslands. These must not be built in ecologically important areas!

Remarks:
The distribution extends from north Africa (very local) and Asia Minor to the Urals and the Caucasus. In Europe, there are few sites in the southeast (Romania, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey).