Distribution map for E. aurinia in Denmark based on specimens in Danish collections and observations. Data collected by Atlas Project Danish Butterflies
Grid: UTM 10 km. squares
This species belong to open heath lands
with plenty of the food plant Devils bit Scabiosae (Succisa pratensis) It
requires food plants that grown open and without vegetation around to allow maximal
sunshine. Due to cultivation of most heath land in Denmark, this species has decreased
much, but is hardly really threatened, as remaining heaths are protected. However, heaths
in Denmark are changing into grasslands instead of heather and often bushes and trees are
allowed to grow up, shading out E. aurinia. In one site in southern Jutland near
the border to Germany, a fine population was destroyed by so called habitat management. A
much to high number of sheep were let out on the area, and caterpillars as well as food
plant were grazed completely away.
E. aurinia is on the Bern Convention obliging Denmark to protects the habitats but no measures have been taken so far. Surely this species still exists in many unknown places especially in northern Jutland.
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