April 2010

The Euphydryas aurinia, from the order of the Lepidoptera belongs to the Nymphalidae family and the Euphrydryas genus.

"FAUNA. Euphydryas aurinia and Zerynthia rumina"

This butterfly is usually to be found in grasslands or on edges of deciduous or coniferous forests all over the Iberian Peninsula. Depending on its habitat, it flies from mid April to mid July. It is of a median size with bright coloured wings in checkered marking of orange, yellow and brown with a black background. The eggs are laid in June on the underside of the leaves of their foodplant and hybernate until spring. The Euphydryas aurinia lives in small populations and frequently forms new ones in the surrounding areas.

"FAUNA. Euphydryas aurinia and Zerynthia rumina"

The Zerynthia rumina belongs to the family of the Papilionidae and the genus Zerynthia. It is a widespread species in the Iberian Peninsula except in the Cantabria coastline and Galicia. It also lives in the French Mediterranean coast and North African countries. It flies from February to June, depending on climate and altitude and spends the winter as a chrysalis for as long as two years stuck to the underside of its foodplant or on the lower branches of bushes. Their forewings are a mixture of yellow, black and red. It’s foodplants are the Aristolochia rotunda, longa, pistolochia, pallida and baetica amongst others.