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Zygaena lavandulae is a species of moth in the family Zygaenidae.

Zygaena lavandulae
Zygaena lavandulae, upperside
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Zygaenidae
Genus:	Zygaena
Species:	Z. lavandulae
Binomial name
Zygaena lavandulae (Esper, 1783)
Synonyms
Sphinx lavandulae Esper, 1783 Sphinx spicae Hübner, 1796 Zygaena consobrina German, [1835] Zygaena altalavandulae Reiss, 1953 Zygaena izilanica Reiss, 1944 Zygaena teruelensis Reiss, 1936 Zygaena oropesica Reiss, 1965

Subspecies

Subspecies include:[1][2]

• Zygaena lavandulae lavandulae
• Zygaena lavandulae alfacarica Tremewan, 1961
• Zygaena lavandulae barcelonica Reiss, 1936
• Zygaena lavandulae consobrina Germar, 1836
• Zygaena lavandulae espunnensis Reiss, 1922
• Zygaena lavandulae micheaellae Rungs & Le Charles, 1943

Distribution

This species can be found in Southern France, eastern Spain, Portugal and Italy (only in central and western Liguria),[3] as well as North Africa, including Morocco.[4][5]

Description

Zygaena lavandulae has a wingspan of 31–36 millimetres (1.2–1.4 in) in males and of 35–37 millimetres (1.4–1.5 in) in females. The head is black. The thorax is black with a white collar. Also the abdomen is black, with a slight blue gloss. Forewings are bluish, with five red spots surrounded with black or dark blue. Hindwings are bluish-black with a very large distal red spot. Colorations of the females are rather similar to males, but their forewings are usually bluish-green, with larger spots.[6]

Habitat

These moths mainly inhabit rocky places, dry woods and grove rich grasslands.[5] They are present in the Maquis shrubland, characterized by the widespread presence of Cistus species.

Biology

There is one generation per year (univoltine). The larvae feed on Dorycnium pentaphyllum[5] and Anthyllis cytisoides.[7] They develop until April without real dormancy.[5] Adults are on wing from April to June.[5]

References

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