Butterflies

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  • The Dusky Large Blue (Maculinea nausithous) shows an interesting development. It lays its eggs only into the flowers of the Great Burnet. Here the caterpillars hatch, and in autumn they are carried by ants into their nest, where they hibernate. The caterpillars eject a sugar-containing secretion, but “clandestinely” feed on eggs and larvae of the ants. After pupation finally the butterfly hatches in the nest, and has to hurry up in order to leave the nest before being attacked by the ants. In the area the species is found e.g. in meadows close to Pittersdorf and Steinmauern, south of Elchesheim, west of Bietigheim and in abandoned meadows west of Wintersdorf. Read more
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  • The Scarce Large Blue (Maculinea teleius) has the same development as the dusky large blue, which is called “social parasitism”. The underparts of its wings are brighter than of its cinnamon-coloured sister species. The latter usually spends its whole life on only a few plants of the great burnet, whilst the scarce large blue also feeds on other flowers. Read more
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  • Tangerine coloured with black margin and white fringes, these are the wings of the male Large Copper (Lycaena dispar). Recently it has been found along the flood dyke of the river Rhein. Its caterpillars feed on large dock species at the embankments of ditches and quarry ponds. The butterflies can be found on blossomy perennials (e.g. loosestrife, fleabane, horse mint, valerian). Read more