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Zygaena ephialtes is day flying species of burnet moth found in Europe. It is typically found in xeric habitats, and populations have been recently decreasing. It also exhibits Mullerian mimicry with other species, like Amata phegea.

Description
Z.ephialtes typically fly during the day. Adult butterfly flight is often characterized as slow. As characteristic of Zygaenidae moths, they have prominent spots on their wings, which alerts predators that they contain toxins.

Range
This family of moths is spead throughout most of Europe, ranging from Spain to the Ural Mountains. It is not found in the British Isles, northern Europe, or certain islands in the Mediterranean.

Habitat
A study was done by Jakub Horak that focused on populations in the Czech Republic. Many previously unknown habitat preferences of Z.ephialtes were found. This species cannot survive in forested areas or areas with a closed canopy. Z.ephialtes prefer xeric conditions, and were rarely found in more humid areas. The two times they were found in non-exeric areas, the areas were previously xeric sites that were abandoned. The xeric areas that were studied also had many species that are specifically associated with xeric environments, referred to as xeric specialists. Some of these species include Phengaris arion, Psophus stridulus, Polyommatus coridon, Polyommatus daphnis, Plebjus argus, and Zygaena carniolica. This study showed that Z.ephialtes is an important part of xeric habitats.

Migration
Because of the slower nature of the adult butterflies’ movement, a typical butterfly’s range was thought to be on the smaller side. However, after observing certain populations in the Czech Republic, it was found that this species was found during quick flying events over longer distances.

Eggs
The eggs are pale yellow in appearance. They are laid in a single layer and in many batches.

Caterpillars
Caterpillars appear yellow with small black portions.

Pupae
Pupae appear brown and are typically found on the stems of various types of grasses.

Adults
Z.ephialtes are one of the largest species of burnet moths. Their flight has been described as slow and undulating.

Host-plants
There are many species of host plants for Z.ephialtes. The most common are Coronilla emerus, Coronilla varia, Securigera varia (purple crown vetch) and Hippocrepis comosa (horseshoe vetch). Another species that has been observed less frequently is Hippocrepis emerus (scorpion senna).

Mimicry
Amata phegea is another spotted moth species that looks similar to Z.ephialtes. Because Z.ephialtes is unpalatable to other species, A.phegea takes advantage of this. Z. ephialtes is hyper-polymorphic, with two main forms- peucedanoid or ephialtoid. The peucedanoid form consists of a colored forewing and hindwing with sports. The ephialtoid form consists of all the all the forewing spots being white except the two basal spots, and the hindwings being black with a white spot. Either of these forms can either be red or yellow. The yellow form has been found to be more advantageous than the red one.

Subspecies
Subspecies within this species:


 * Zygaena ephialtes ephialtes
 * Zygaena ephialtes albaflavens Verity, 1920
 * Zygaena ephialtes albarubens Verity, 1946
 * Zygaena ephialtes athamanthae (Esper, 1789)
 * Zygaena ephialtes bohemia Reiss, 1922
 * Zygaena ephialtes chalkidikae Holik, 1937
 * Zygaena ephialtes corcyrica Rauch, 1981
 * Zygaena ephialtes coronillae (Denis & Schiffermuller, 1775)
 * Zygaena ephialtes danastriensis Holik, 1939
 * Zygaena ephialtes istoki Silbernagel, 1944
 * Zygaena ephialtes ligus Verity, 1946
 * Zygaena ephialtes lurica Dujardin, 1965
 * Zygaena ephialtes medusa (Pallas, 1771)
 * Zygaena ephialtes meridiei Burgeff, 1926
 * Zygaena ephialtes pannonica Holik, 1937
 * Zygaena ephialtes peucedani (Esper, 1780)
 * Zygaena ephialtes podolica Holik, 1932
 * Zygaena ephialtes retyesati Holik, 1948
 * Zygaena ephialtes roussilloni Koch, 1940
 * Zygaena ephialtes smolikana Naumann & Rose, 1981
 * Zygaena ephialtes tambovensis Holik & Sheljuzhko, 1953
 * Zygaena ephialtes taurida Holik & Sheljuzhko, 1953
 * Zygaena ephialtes transpadana Verity, 1946
 * Zygaena ephialtes tymphrestica Holik, 1948

Conservation
As mentioned earlier, this species is an integral part in xeric environments. However, with the decline in these environments, the species is also vanishing from many of these regions. Because of changing environments, these butterflies are required to travel longer than normal distances to find suitable habitats. Populations are declining. Some sources say that this species is critically endangered. Recently there has been some human involvement with the species by protecting some xeric sites that the butterflies are inhabiting.