Journal
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
Volume 17, Issue 5, Pages 865-876Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10841-013-9567-7
Keywords
Leptidea morsei; Lathyrus niger; Butterfly conservation; Oviposition preference; Forest management
Categories
Funding
- Slovenian Research Agency [P1-0236]
- Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Slovenia [2511-10-250021]
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The oviposition preferences of Leptidea morsei at the western border of its range (SE Slovenia) were studied with the aim of integrating this information into species habitat management recommendations. The characteristics of egg-laying habitat were examined at the landscape, patch, plant and leaf levels. Because sightings of adults in the field were infrequent, intensive searching for previously laid eggs on Lathyrus niger plants was chosen as the survey method. The main oviposition habitats of L. morsei in Slovenia were found to be the forest edges and light stands of thermophilous oak, oak-hornbeam and mesic beech forests (landscape level). The egg-laying sites were L. niger plants growing individually or in small stands, and oriented mostly towards W, SW, and S. The oviposition plants were between 33 and 120 cm high, with those growing in half to full shade preferred. Eggs were deposited singly, mainly on the underside of leaflets of terminal leaves, located mostly on the top quarter of plants irrespective of their height and growth form. The most important factors affecting egg-placement are sun exposure and the size of L. niger stands at ovipositing sites (patch level), leaf exposure on the plant in vertical and horizontal directions (plant level), leaf age and the leaf parts where the risk of leaf and egg desiccation is lower (leaf level). Management strategies for the main egg-laying habitats of the species are proposed.
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