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Spialia phlomidis (Herrich-Schäffer, [1845])   

 

Male, Mt. Alibotush

Range: S Balkan Peninsula, Asia Minor to Iran and Caucasus.

Distribution in Bulgaria: Very local, so far recorded from the vicinity of Asenovgrad town, Kresna and Zemen gorges of Struma river and Mt. Alibotush, where it reaches 1600 m a.s.l. (Kolev 1994c, Abadjiev 2002).

Habitat: Dry hot rocky slopes.

Bionomics: One generation in June and July. Larval host-plant: Colvolvulus (Tolman & Lewington 1997).

Conservation status: Needs dedicated studies. Part of the Bulgarian range of this rare and extremely local species is threatened by planned road construction in Kresna gorge. IUCN category: Data Deficient, possibly Vulnerable. Its inclusion into the Red Data Book of Bulgaria is herewith recommended.