Zygaena loti

Zygaena loti, the slender Scotch burnet,[1] is a moth of the

family Zygaenidae. It is a diurnal moth characterized by a black Slender Scotch burnet
body, light colored legs, and red spots on its wings.[1][2][3][4] The
caterpillars are a yellow-green color and usually molt out of
dormancy in late February to early March.[5][6] The larvae feed on
plants from the Fabaceae family until they enter their pupal stage
and mature into adults in May to early June.[1][5] For mating,
Zygaenidae exhibit a dual-partner finding strategy where females
use pheromones while assuming a calling position and males
exhibit a patrolling behavior where they utilize both vision and the
olfactory receptors in their antennae to locate a potential mate.[7]
Zygaena loti. Dorsal view
Although regionally endangered as their population is declining,
Z. loti can be found all across Europe, inhabiting areas rich in their
desired food plants, lime-rich, and characterized by a hot and dry
climate.[4][1] The decreases in their population are likely due to
factors such as habitat loss and fragmentation brought on by
commercial agriculture and urbanization as well as global climate
change.[5][8][9] There are few conservation programs currently
focusing on Zygaena loti.

Lateral view
Contents Scientific classification
Subspecies Kingdom: Animalia
Description Phylum: Arthropoda
Life cycle
Class: Insecta
Food resources
Order: Lepidoptera
Reproduction
Geographic range and habitat Family: Zygaenidae

Conservation status and efforts Genus: Zygaena

Gallery Species: Z. loti
References Binomial name
External links Zygaena loti
(Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

Subspecies Synonyms

The following subspecies are recognized:[10] Sphinx loti Denis &

Schiffermuller, 1775
Zygaena loti loti (the nominate subspecies)
Zygaena loti achilleae (Esper, 1780) Sphinx achilleae Esper, 1780
 Zygaena loti alpestris Burgeff, 1914 Anthrocera scotica Rowland-
Zygaena loti arragonensis Staudinger, 1887 Brown, 1919
Zygaena loti avilensis Koch, 1948
Zygaena loti balcanica Reiss, 1922
Zygaena loti erythristica Tremewan & Manley, 1969
Zygaena loti failliei Dujardin, 1970
Zygaena loti hypochlora Dujardin, 1964
Zygaena loti janthina Boisduval, 1828
Zygaena loti ligustica Rocci, 1913
Zygaena loti macedonica Burgeff, 1926
Zygaena loti miniacea Oberthur, 1910
Zygaena loti osthelderi Burgeff, 1926
Zygaena loti praeclara Burgeff, 1926
Zygaena loti restricta Stauder, 1915
Zygaena loti scotica (Rowland-Brown, 1919)
Zygaena loti tristis Oberthur, 1884
Zygaena loti wagneri Milliere, 1885
Zygaena loti zobeli Reiss, 1921

Description
Zygaena loti, also called the slender Scotch burnet moth, is a member of the butterfly and moth order
Lepidoptera and the family Zygaenidae. While most moths are categorized as nocturnal, Zygaenidae moths
are unique in that they are day-flying or diurnal moths.[7][11] The Z. loti has also been described as highly
sedentary.[12] With a wingspan of 25-35mm, the slender Scotch burnet moth can be identified as having a
relatively small black body, light colored legs, and a pair of black or light brown colored, rounded wings
with red spots.[1][2][3] This moth in particular displays a sexual dimorphism, in which the wings of females
are scaled much lighter than their male conspecifics and they possess a double white ruff.[2] Frontwings are
grayish-blue in the males, yellow-gray in the females, with six red spots which partly flow together. The
kidney-shaped spot at the tip of the forewings consists in fact of the fifth and sixth spots, which have grown
together. The hindwings are red and have a black border.[6]

This species is rather similar to Zygaena exulans, Zygaena filipendulae and Zygaena lonicerae.[6]

The caterpillars can reach a length of about 20 millimetres (0.79 in). They are olive-green or yellow-green,
with two yellow and two black dots on each segment and short white hairs.[6]

Life cycle
The life cycle of Zygaena loti has not been well observed, but from the available literature the following
likely life cycle can be constructed. The moth is characterized as an early burnet with caterpillars molting
out of diapause in late February to early March.[5] The caterpillars hide during the day in moss layers or
herbage containing small, short plants less than 6 cm tall.[3] There they also construct or spin their cocoons
(oval-shaped, dull dirty whitish color) to enter their pupal stage.[3][5] later mature into adult moths in May to
early June.[5] As adults, their flight time is somewhere from late May to early August depending on
eclosion.[5][2] Since they are diurnal, they only fly during the day.[13] After mating, females will lay their
eggs on larval food plants, such as the ones listed below, and the resulting larvae will feed from
approximately August to early May, overwintering once and sometimes twice in their larval diapaused
state.[2][13]

Food resources

For larvae, there are some contrasting findings, but all observed food plants that Z. loti caterpillars have
been found on are from the Fabaceae family, such as Hippocrepis comosa, Lotus corniculatus, Securigera
varia, and Onobrychis vicilfolia. [1][5]

For adult moths, even less has been recorded about their diets. Males may nectar on milkworts and thyme,
while females may nectar on the flowers of the plants they ate in their larval stage (those listed above).[3]

Reproduction
While there is not much evidence pertaining to Zygaena loti's reproductive strategies in particular, there
have been studies involving that species and other Zygaenidae that have looked at the mating routine of the
family as a whole. Zygaenidae exhibit a dual partner-finding strategy, which is typical for most moths.[7]
That essentially means that both the females and the males are involved in the process of finding a mate.
Females possess pheromone glands in their ovipositor, which is positioned at the tip of their abdomen.[7]
From those glands, they release a certain pheromone meant to attract their male conspecifics.[7] There is
evidence pointing towards females not using pheromones in the morning hours of the day, but more research
is needed to confirm that as fact.[7] Females also exhibit a calling behavior. This involves the females in a
calling position where the region containing the sex pheromone gland is left exposed, allowing for the
release of the pheromone.[7] In Zygaenidae, most female moths will call for five to ten hours a day until they
have found a mate.[7]

For males, they exhibit what is called patrolling behavior, a behavior observed to only occur in the
morning.[7] In the morning, when the males are patrolling, they detect females via vision at long distances,
but in the afternoon, they use the olfactory receptors on the ends of their antennae which are sensitive to the
pheromones of their female conspecifics.[7] Males may also release their own pheromones when in close
proximity to a potential mate, but once again, more research is needed.[7]

Once mating has occurred, females will lay their eggs on larval foodplants, usually Fabaceaes.[4] Studies
have shown that a specific microclimate may be vital to the females when deciding where to lay their eggs,
but as far as most research has shown, females lay their eggs in bare soil around herbage vital to the larvae's
diet.[4]

In the close range phase of courtship, while the role of pheromones is not well known, it has been
determined that visual cues from both the male and the female are important.[7] Experts acknowledge the
gap in literature and need for more research on the mating activity of Zygaenidae and have expressed the
importance of studying the chemical communication of diurnal butterflies and moths for natural resource
management when dealing with invasive species and conservation efforts of endangered species.[7]
Pheromones have been used many times to study Lepidopteran species and can be used to monitor and study
rare Zygaenids such as the Zygaena loti.[14]

Geographic range and habitat

The geographic distribution of Zygaena loti is well documented, but not uniform across research studies.
Some documentation cites Zygaena loti to be mainly in western Scotland and solely confined to the Isles
Mull and Ulva.[4] The research that claims this however is only looks at the subspecies scotica.[4] The
animals in the family Zygaenidae are actually widespread across the European continent.[4] More
specifically, Zygaena loti can be found in most of Europe, except Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal,
Fennoscandia, Denmark, Estonia and Latvia.[15] This species has been spotted in Spain on the Iberian
peninsula, across central and southern Europe, and to Siberia.[5][12] While it is not very common in northern
Europe, there is an isolated population in Scotland.[5] They used to be widely distributed, creating a network
of interconnected communities, but due to habitat loss as a likely result of an increase use of land for
agriculture, most Z. loti and Zygaenidae populations have become fragmented and isolated from each
other.[12][16] The isolation that these moths are subjected to has led to high levels of genetic differentiation
between populations.[17] The current status of the moth's total distribution range since the 1970s is
declining.[3]

Although fairly widespread, Z. loti can only survive in a restricted range of habitats, making them a good
indicator for environmental change, a factor that many conservationists have focused on.[11] This moth is
usually restricted to xerothermic environments, meaning it thrives in a hot and dry climate.[12][1] They also
greatly prefer lime-rich conditions.[2][5][1] Such suitable habitats may include flowering meadows, clearings,
subalpine or rocky slopes, scrubland, forest edges, limestone background, or dry grassland, usually at an
elevation up to 2,100 metres (6,900 ft) above sea level.[18][1][4][12] For Zygaenidae in general, the Alps and
Pyrenees are considered to be biodiversity hotspots.[9]

Conservation status and efforts

Zygaena loti is not endangered and is considered a common burnet moth.[12][5] Regionally, however, this
species of Zygaenidae is decreasing due to habitat loss and fragmentation.[5] Such habitat loss is likely
because of an increase in large-scale agriculture and urbanization.[8] Being that Z. loti require a certain
climate (dry and hot) and have certain conditions for their chosen habitat (lime-rich and herb-rich), human
intervention in acceptable habitats has led to the further isolation and fragmentation of this moth species,
causing a decrease in their distribution range;[16] however, Z. loti continue to survive in fragmented habitats
with reduced gene flow.[4][17][19] That reduced gene flow causes a decrease in genetic diversities but an
increase in genetic differentiation between populations and an increase in inbreeding as well.[17] While loss
of suitable land is a big factor to consider, there is also the matter of global climate change and global
warming, which has caused an observed latidinal shift in many Lepitopteran species, although there is no
current studies on how climate change and global warming has affected Z. loti.[9] With habitat loss and
climate change working together and against the isolated moth populations, research has suggested that
Zygaena loti's regional endangerment is not due to habitat loss, but due to genetic distortion resulting from
too rapid habitat change, meaning that Z. loti may not be able to evolve at the appropriate pace needed for its
survival.[12] There has been a lot of studies dedicated to the conservation of this family of moths and one of
the recommendations that sticks out that most in increasing habitat connectivity between populations to
increase gene flow and save Zygaena loti from possible extinction.[17]

The majority of the research literature on Zygaena loti is based on conservation efforts that may be useful in
helping the isolated moth species. As mentioned previously, many studies recommend that the only way to
save Z. loti is to reconnect the fragmented habitats and populations of the moth to increase gene flow
between populations, restoring the once large, interconnected network of Zygaenidae and its high genetic
diversity.[12][8] A smaller study focused more on the idea of restoring suitable habitats by reducing
agricultural use of mineral fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides, which was hypothesized to be one of the
factors causing the decline of Z. loti and a decrease in food plant availability.[8] That same study also
recommended that work needed to be done to maintain current suitable habitats by preventing the
overgrowth of those xerothermic clearings and grasslands.[8] One way to accomplish that is mowing.[8][20]
Research has shown that the effects of manual mowing can be positive.[20] By using butterflies and moths as
a rapidly responding indicator of its effects, manual mowing was shown to increase species richness and
composition in the habitats where it was implicated, quickly leading to a habitat with a high conservation
value.[20] In a study on the effects of reintroduced manual mowing, it was concluded that mowing may
present a great resource and tool for increasing the abundance of Lepitopteran species and promoting
potentially endangered species such as Zygaena loti.[20]

There are relatively few current, ongoing conservation programs geared towards saving Zygaena loti from
extinction, but there are two worth mentioning. The Moths Count Project/The National Moth Recording
Scheme (http://www.mothscount.org/) is ran in the United Kingdom and has the simple goal of recording all
observed moth species as a way to spread knowledge and promote the conservation of the recorded
species.[16] Then there is the Scotland Rural Development Programme (https://www.gov.scot/policies/agricu
lture-payments/scottish-rural-development-programme-srdp/), which aims, among other priorities, to protect
and improve the environment through certain conservation efforts and to address climate change in rural
Scotland.[21] This program's conservation schemes are a model for the assessment of worldwide biodiversity
conservation programs.[22] It is important to set clear objectives and assess the cost-effectiveness of a
program against those objectives.[22]

While there is some conservation programs out there, experts acknowledge that there are large gaps in the
research literature on Zygaena loti and other species that prevents much to be done to prevent possible
extinction.[22] More research is needed on Z. loti.[22]

Gallery
Mating Feeding on a Centaurea

Mounted specimen Female

References
1. "Slender Scotch Burnet (Zygaena loti )" (http://www.invasive.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5
582045). Invasive.Org. 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
2. "Beilfleck-Widderchen Zygaena loti Slender Scotch Burnet" (http://www.schmetterling-raupe.d
e/art/loti.htm). www.schmetterling-raupe.de. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
3. "Slender Scotch Burnet" (https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/slender-scotch-burnet).
butterfly-conservation.org. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
4. Ravenscroft, N., & Young, M. (1996). Habitat Specificity, Restricted Range and Metapopulation
Persistence of the Slender Scotch Burnet Moth Zygaena loti in Western Scotland. Journal of
Applied Ecology, 33(5), 993-1000. doi:10.2307/2404680
5. "European Lepidoptera and their ecology: Zygaena loti" (http://www.pyrgus.de/Zygaena_loti_e
n.html). www.pyrgus.de. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
6. Lepiforum.de (http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Zygaena_Loti)
7. Sarto i Monteys, V.; Quero, C.; Santa-Cruz, M.C.; Rosell, G.; Guerrero, A. (August 2016).
"Sexual communication in day-flying Lepidoptera with special reference to castniids or
'butterfly-moths' " (https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0007485316000158/typ
e/journal_article). Bulletin of Entomological Research. 106 (4): 421–431.
doi:10.1017/S0007485316000158 (https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0007485316000158).
hdl:2445/108980 (https://hdl.handle.net/2445%2F108980). ISSN 0007-4853 (https://www.world
cat.org/issn/0007-4853). PMID 27046288 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27046288).
 8. Zarzycki, Kazimierz; Dąbrowski, Jerzy S. (1986). "Food plants of burnets (Zygaena F.
Lepidopt., Zvgaenidae) and the dying-out of these moths in the Pieniny Mts. (Poland)" (https://
pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/asbp/article/view/asbp.1986.032). Acta Societatis
Botanicorum Poloniae. 55 (3): 343–359. doi:10.5586/asbp.1986.032 (https://doi.org/10.5586%
2Fasbp.1986.032). ISSN 2083-9480 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2083-9480).
9. Dapporto, Leonardo (June 2011). "Predicting distribution of Zygaena moths on West
Mediterranean islands. Implications for biogeography and conservation (Lepidoptera
Zygaenidae)". Journal of Insect Conservation. 15 (3): 445–454. doi:10.1007/s10841-010-9318-
y (https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10841-010-9318-y). ISSN 1366-638X (https://www.worldcat.org/
issn/1366-638X).
10. "Slender Scotch Burnet" (https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id48362/). www.biolib.cz.
11. Šašić, Martina; Nahirnić, Ana; Tarmann, Gerhard M. (2016). "Zygaenidae (Lepidoptera) in the
Lepidoptera collections of the Croatian Natural History Museum" (https://www.researchgate.ne
t/publication/311986622). Natura Croatica. 25 (2): 233–248. doi:10.20302/NC.2016.25.19 (http
s://doi.org/10.20302%2FNC.2016.25.19).
12. Habel, Jan Christian; Engler, Jan O.; Rödder, Dennis; Schmitt, Thomas (2011-11-05).
"Landscape genetics of a recent population extirpation in a burnet moth species".
Conservation Genetics. 13 (1): 247–255. doi:10.1007/s10592-011-0280-3 (https://doi.org/10.1
007%2Fs10592-011-0280-3). ISSN 1566-0621 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1566-0621).
13. "Slender Scotch Burnet Zygaena loti - UKMoths" (https://ukmoths.org.uk/species/zygaena-loti).
ukmoths.org.uk. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
14. "Burnet Moth Biology (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae)". Springer Reference. SpringerReference.
Springer-Verlag. 2011. doi:10.1007/springerreference_90400 (https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fsprin
gerreference_90400).
15. Fauna Europaea (http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=440360)
16. Fox, Richard; Randle, Zoë; Hill, Les; Anders, Susan; Wiffen, Laura; Parsons, Mark S. (April
2011). "Moths count: recording moths for conservation in the UK". Journal of Insect
Conservation. 15 (1–2): 55–68. doi:10.1007/s10841-010-9309-z (https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs1
0841-010-9309-z). ISSN 1366-638X (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1366-638X).
17. Habel, Jan Christian; Rödder, Dennis; Lens, Luc; Schmitt, Thomas (September 2013). "The
genetic signature of ecologically different grassland Lepidopterans". Biodiversity and
Conservation. 22 (10): 2401–2411. doi:10.1007/s10531-012-0407-y (https://doi.org/10.1007%2
Fs10531-012-0407-y). ISSN 0960-3115 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0960-3115).
18. Funet - Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms (http://ftp.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/lif
e/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/zygaenoidea/zygaenidae/zygaeninae/zygaena/#loti)
19. Habel, Jan Christian; Brückmann, Sabrina V.; Krauss, Jochen; Schwarzer, Julia; Weig, Alfons;
Husemann, Martin; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf (June 2015). "Fragmentation genetics of the
grassland butterfly Polyommatus coridon: Stable genetic diversity or extinction debt?".
Conservation Genetics. 16 (3): 549–558. doi:10.1007/s10592-014-0679-8 (https://doi.org/10.1
007%2Fs10592-014-0679-8). ISSN 1566-0621 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/1566-0621).
20. Horak, Jakub; Safarova, Lenka (2015-01-01). "Effect of reintroduced manual mowing on
biodiversity in abandoned fen meadows" (https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/biolog.2015.70.issu
e-1/biolog-2015-0009/biolog-2015-0009.xml). Biologia. 70 (1). doi:10.1515/biolog-2015-0009
(https://doi.org/10.1515%2Fbiolog-2015-0009). ISSN 1336-9563 (https://www.worldcat.org/iss
n/1336-9563).
21. "Agricultural payments: Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): Scottish Rural Development
Programme (SRDP) - gov.scot" (https://www.gov.scot/policies/agriculture-payments/scottish-rur
al-development-programme-srdp/). www.gov.scot. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
22. Austin, Zoё; McVittie, Alistair; McCracken, Davy; Moxey, Andrew; Moran, Dominic; White,
Piran C. L. (June 2015). "Integrating quantitative and qualitative data in assessing the cost-
effectiveness of biodiversity conservation programmes". Biodiversity and Conservation. 24 (6):
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ISSN 0960-3115 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0960-3115).

External links
Schmetterling-raupe.de (http://www.schmetterling-raupe.de/art/loti.htm)
A map that displays the current geographic distribution of Zygaena loti (https://www.discoverlif
e.org/20/q?search=Zygaena+loti)

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