CROATIAN FAUNA – BUTTERFLIES, poplar admiral

Poplar admiral Limenitis populi Poplar admiral Limenitis populi (Linnaeus, 1758) is a diurnal butterfly from the Nymphalidae family, characterized by wings of unforgettable beauty and amazing habitats. The species lives in light coniferous and mixed forests, where caterpillar host plants of Populus tremula and Populus nigra grow. Poplar admiral can be found in very limited habitats in Croatia, mainly in forest areas within the continental (Hrvatsko zagorje, Podravina and Slavonia) and mountain regions (Žumberak - Samobor Hills, Gorski kotar and a few areas in Lika, surrounding Lička Plješivica and Velebit). With an imago size of 70 to 80 mm, the poplar admiral is one of Croatia's largest diurnal butterflies. It is easily recognizable due to the dark brown color on the upper side of its wings, smaller white areas on its front wings, and specific white, reddish-brown and grayish-blue patterns on the underside of the wings. Female poplar admirals lay their round green eggs on the upper side of sunlit poplar leaves. Their caterpillars feed on leaves and build a hibernaculum. For the formation of the hibernaculum, they always use new leaves, not the leaves on which they had previously fed. Poplar admirals hibernate in the second caterpillar life stage, and in the spring they feed abundantly on leaves before they pupate, their pupas hanging from poplar leaves. The species creates one generation per year, with their imago flight taking place from June to August. Adult butterflies fly for a very short time, avoiding larger open areas, and females are attached to the tops of trees, which makes them harder to spot. Male poplar admirals sometimes descend to the ground in the morning, primarily to feed on feces and decaying organic matter. For the purpose of courtship, they look for specific landmarks in the landscape, such as taller trees that stand out in the forest canopy (canopy courtship). One of the main causes of endangerment of this species is the result of changes in forestry, i.e. its natural habitats - aspen forests, which do not belong to the group of "quality" forest stands. In Croatia, the species is listed as almost endangered. Ph.D. Iva Mihoci, Museum advisor - Croatian Natural History Museum Ph.D. Martina Šašić Kljajo, Museum advisor - Croatian Natural History Museum