Sphingonotus caerulans (Linnaeus, 1767)

Nutrition:
The species feeds especially on grasses and herbs.

Habitat:
Sphingonotus caerulans inhabits sandy grasslands, inland dunes, gravel bars, more rarely also rocky heaths and secondary habitats such as railway station areas, sand pits or brownfields.

Life cycle:
The adults occur from July to October. The eggs overwinter in loose soil substrate.

Endangerment: strongly endangered

Endangerment factors:
In Central Europe Sphingonotus caerulans is endangered due to the decline of suitable habitats (overbuilding, afforestation, eutrophication, agricultural crops such as asparagus fields). But it is still more common in the south.

Remarks:
The distribution extends from North Africa across Southern and Central Europe to the Caspian Sea. There are similar species in the south!