Narrow-bordered five-spot burnet (Zygaena lonicerae)

🐛 Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet (Zygaena lonicerae) – In-depth Overview

🧬 Taxonomy & Classification

• Order: Lepidoptera
• Family: Zygaenidae (Burnet moths)
• Genus: Zygaena
• Species: Zygaena lonicerae
• Common Name: Narrow-bordered five-spot burnet
• Authority: Scheven, 1777

🦋 Identification

🔍 Adult Moth

• Wingspan: 30–40 mm.
• Coloration:
  • Forewings: Metallic green-black with five crimson-red spots, often fused or elongated.
  • Hindwings: Red with a narrow black margin.
• Borders: Distinctively narrow black edging around the forewing, distinguishing it from similar species.
• Body: Shiny, bluish-black with clubbed antennae.

🐛 Caterpillar (Larva)

• Appearance: Yellowish-green with black spots and short hairs.
• Shape: Plump and slug-like.
• Feeding: On host plants, mostly at night or early morning.

🐚 Chrysalis (Pupa)

• Formed in a white or yellowish silken cocoon attached to grass stems or leaves.

🌍 Distribution & Habitat

📍 Range

• Widespread across Europe, from the British Isles to Eastern Europe and parts of western Asia.

🏞️ Preferred Habitat

• Grasslands, meadows, roadside verges, chalk downlands, coastal dunes, and open woodland edges.
• Prefers areas with abundant wildflowers, especially vetches and trefoils.

⏳ Life Cycle

🔄 Voltinism

• Univoltine: One generation per year.

📆 Flight Period

• Adults fly from late June to August (varies by region and elevation).

🐣 Reproductive Cycle

• Eggs: Laid on the underside of host plant leaves.
• Larvae: Feed during late summer and again in spring after hibernation.
• Overwintering: As larvae in the grass base or leaf litter.
• Pupation: In early summer within a suspended silk cocoon.

🌿 Diet & Feeding

🐛 Larval Host Plants

• Specializes in Fabaceae (pea family), including:
  • Bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
  • Greater bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus)
  • Tufted vetch (Vicia cracca)
  • Red clover (Trifolium pratense)

🦋 Adult Nectar Sources

• Attracted to wildflowers such as:
  • Knapweed (Centaurea)
  • Thistles
  • Scabious
  • Clover

⚠️ Defense & Mimicry

🔴 Aposematism

• Bright red and black coloration warns predators of toxicity (contains cyanogenic compounds).
• Birds quickly learn to avoid them after one unpleasant experience.

🧪 Chemical Defense

• Larvae and adults contain hydrogen cyanide, which deters predators.
• Can also synthesize cyanogenic glycosides from amino acids.

🔬 Ecological Role

• Pollinator: Contributes to pollination of various wildflowers.
• Prey: Limited natural predation due to chemical defenses.
• Bioindicator: Presence indicates species-rich meadows and unimproved grassland ecosystems.

☠️ Lookalike Species

Dissection or DNA analysis may be needed for certain Zygaena species with overlapping ranges.

📉 Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Not globally evaluated.
• Local Status: Stable in many parts of Europe but declining in others due to:
  • Agricultural intensification
  • Loss of species-rich meadows
  • Pesticide use
• Conservation Measures:
  • Protect unimproved grasslands.
  • Encourage low-intensity grazing.
  • Maintain wildflower diversity.

📖 Interesting Facts

• Day-flying moth: Often mistaken for a butterfly due to its coloration and activity during the day.
• Its red spots act as a universal warning — a visual signal shared with other toxic insects (a form of Müllerian mimicry).
• The species exhibits local variation in spot number and shape, leading to historical confusion with other species and subspecies.

📚 References & Further Reading

• UK Moths: Zygaena lonicerae
• Butterfly Conservation: Day-flying Moths Guide
• Waring, Townsend & Lewington (2017). Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland.
• Skinner, B. (2009). Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles.

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