Transalpine Burnet Moth

Appearance

The wingspan of ''Zygaena transalpina'' can reach about 29–35 millimetres . The forewings are of a shining bluish-green, or of a blue-black, with three pairs of carmine-red spots for each wing . The two spots on the base are oval. The hind wings are carmine red, with a black-blue border and a slightly darker fringe. The underside of the forewings is light black-blue, usually with the same spots as the top.

Naming

Subspecies include the following:

⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina transalpina''
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina alpina'' Boisduval, 1834
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina altitudinaria'' Turati, 1910
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina annae'' Aistleitner, 1979
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina astragali''
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina bavarica'' Burgeff, 1922
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina centralis'' Oberthur, 1907
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina centricataloniae'' Burgeff, 1926
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina centripyrenaea'' Burgeff, 1926
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina collina'' Burgeff, 1926
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina curtisi'' Tremewan, 1961
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina dufayi'' Dujardin, 1965
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina emendata'' Verity, 1916
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina gulsensis'' Daniel, 1954
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina helvetica'' Bethune-Baker & Rothschild, 1921
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina hilfi'' Reiss, 1922
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina hippocrepidis'' Hübner, 1799
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina intermedia'' Rocci, 1914
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina jugi'' Burgeff, 1926
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina latina'' Verity, 1920
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina maritima'' Oberthur, 1898
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina marujae'' Tremewan & Manley, 1965
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina miltosa'' Candeze, 1883
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina philippsi'' Romei, 1927
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina provincialis'' Oberthur, 1907
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina pseudoalpina'' Turati, 1910
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina rupicola'' Rocci, 1936
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina sorrentinaeformis'' Rocci, 1938
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina splugena'' Burgeff, 1926
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina subalticola'' Rocci, 1918
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina tenuissima'' Burgeff, 1914
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina tilaventa'' Holik, 1935
⤷ ''Zygaena transalpina xanthographa'' Germar, 1836

Distribution

This species can be found from Germany to Croatia and Italy, and from Spain to Austria and Slovenia. It is more frequent at more than 2,000 meters of altitude in the Alps, especially in the Italian Alps and Italy, with the exception of Sicily and the Adriatic coast.

Behavior

Adults are on wing from the end of May to August in one generation per year. The imagines are lively and active insects, taking perhaps quickest to the wing of all the Burnets. They likewise simulate death when suddenly touched, but revive soon and whiz quickly away, the flight being fast.

It is an aposematic species because its warning colors signal it as toxic to predators such as birds and lizards. In case of attack, it emits a liquid containing cyanide.

The larvae feed on the leaves of ''Hippocrepis comosa'' and sometimes ''Coronilla varia'' and ''Lotus corniculatus''. Larvae can be found from August, after overwintering, to June of the following year.

Habitat

This moth occurs in warm, dry climates, particularly on dry meadows, but also on flowering grasslands at higher elevations. Though the form ''astragali'' extends beyond 50° latitude, being still common near Mombach , Darmstadt, etc. Southern Europe, especially Italy, must be considered the principal locality of the species, the forms here flying occurring from May to July in really surprising numbers; ''maritima'' flies in great abundance even in dull weather and till nightfall on the southern slopes of the Riviera, near Genoa, Pegli, Savona, etc., ''transalpina'' being likewise very common in the southern valleys of the Alps of Ticino, extending into the North Italian plains.