Zygaena purpuralis

Transparent burnet
Dorsal view
Ventral view
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Zygaenidae
Genus: Zygaena
Species: Z. purpuralis
Binomial name
Zygaena purpuralis
(Brünnich, 1763)
Synonyms
  • Zygaena reissi Burgeff, 1926
  • Zygaena reissiana Burgeff, 1926
  • Zygaena reissoides Koch, 1942
  • Zygaena hibernica Reiss, 1933
  • Zygaena simferopolica Reiss, 1939
  • Zygaena guhni Reiss, 1940
  • Zygaena neumanni Reiss, 1940
  • Zygaena purpurella Reiss, 1953
  • Zygaena fatrensis Reiss, 1940
  • Zygaena subalpicola Reiss, 1940
  • Zygaena bezauensis Reiss, 1940

Zygaena purpuralis, the transparent burnet, is a moth of the Zygaenidae family.

Zygaena purpuralis. Illustration from Europas bekannteste Schmetterlinge, Plate IX (c. 1895)

Description

Zygaena purpuralis is a medium-sized moth with a wingspan reaching 30–34 millimetres (1.2–1.3 in). Usually the forewings show three bright red longitudinal streaks quite variable in shape, with almost transparent greyish-bluish edges. Hindwings are more extensively or almost completely bright red. Head and thorax are black, while the abdomen is dark blue. Adult moths are on wing from late May until August, depending on location. They fly during the day, especially with warm and sunny weather, feeding on nectar of various flowers. Larva are yellow, with some lines of small black spots. The larva feed on wild thyme (Thymus polytrichus, Thymus serpyllum, etc.). They occur from August to May and overwinter once or twice.

Distribution

This species can be is found in most of western, central and southern Europe, from Ireland to France through to Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Russia and the Altai Mountains.

Habitat

Zygaena purpuralis prefers sunny and grassy slopes, under cliffs and dry grassland.

Subspecies

There are several distinct sub-species:

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