New and rare diurnal butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) from the “Cobîleni” natural reserve (Republic of Moldova)

Abstract

In the present paper data on seven rare species of diurnal butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in the fauna of the “Cobîleni” Natural Reserve (Orhei district) are given. The investigations were carried out during 2012-2020 in different habitats of the Reserve: like forest, forest edge, meadows and calcareous canyons. The species Nymphalis xanthomelas (Esper, 1781) and Papilio machaon (Linnaeus, 1758) are reported as new for the fauna of the “Cobîleni” Natural Reserve. Thus, the number of diurnal butterflies in the fauna of the “Cobîleni” Natural Reserve reached 64 species.