Apatura metis, Freyer, 1829

Micevski, Nikola, Franeta, Filip, Gascoigne-Pees, Martin, Micevski, Branko & Verovnik, Rudi, 2015, Butterfly surveys in Albania during 2014 including the discovery of two new species for the country, Ecologica Montenegrina 3, pp. 1-12 : 10

Apatura metis

On 16.VII.2014, while exploring the shoreline along the Albanian side of Lake Skadar (Lake Shkodër), a female of A. metis was observed flying around a small Salix alba tree growing in partial shade surrounded by larger trees ( Fig. 18 ). On inspection, two eggs were discovered on the underside of a leaf of a newly formed shoot ( Fig. 12 ). The ova were sampled for a rearing programme. A detailed description of the lifecycle of A. metis has previously been published ( Weidemann 1982a, 1982b, 1982c, 1982d; Lorković 1983), but, nevertheless, we include some brief notes on the rearing programme of this interesting population. The rearing regime was completed in plastic containers, one larva per receptacle. The freshly laid eggs were pale green in colour, quickly changing dark green within 24 hours. Prior to hatching, the eggs became darker. The first caterpillar hatched on 22.VII.2014 ( Fig. 13 ), the second larva a day later. Fresh shoots of Salix alba were introduced every one to two days, and the young larvae developed rapidly on new leaves. The larvae fed predominantly on the leaf margins ( Fig. 14 ), retreating to the leaf tips when at rest. The first L₁ caterpillar moulted on 26.VII.2014 ( Fig. 15 ), the second larva the day after. The skin change to L₃ was not witnessed by FF, but on 2.VIII.2014 one caterpillar had changed to L₄ and by 7.VIII.2014 was already in its final instar ( Fig. 16 ). On 13.VIII.2014 the first larva pupated on a branch inside the breeding enclosure. The pupae was light green in colour ( Fig. 17 ), becoming darker prior to hatching ( Fig. 19 ). On 23.VIII.2014 a female hatched ( Figs. 20 -21). The second caterpillar had a slower development, reaching its final instar four days later. Due to possible dehydration, as a consequence of a rearing error, this larva did not pupate normally and the malformed pupae failed to hatch. The fact that both caterpillars refused to enter diapause supports the hypothesis that a possible second or even third generation could occur at the end of August/beginning of September. Third generation is known from the eastern part of the species range in Far East Asia ( Lee 2009).

Figures

Figures 11-20. A. metis from Lake Shkodër, Albania. Fig. 11: Ova, 16.VII.2014. Fig. 12: L₁ larva, 22.VII.2014. Fig. 13: L₁ larva, 23.VII.2014. Fig. 14: L₂ larva, 26.VII.2014. Fig. 15: Final instar larva, 07.VIII.2014. Fig. 16: Pupa, 16.VIII.2014. Fig.17: Breeding habitat, 16.VII.2014. Fig. 18: Pupa pre-hatching, 22.VIII.2014. Fig. 19-20: Adult ♀♀, ex ova, 23.VIII.2014. (Photographs: Filip Franeta).