Grayling [butterfly]
CR

Grayling [butterfly]

Hipparchia semele

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grayling_(butterfly)

Overview

The grayling or rock grayling is a species in the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. Although found all over Europe, the grayling mostly inhabits coastal areas, with inland populations declining significantly in recent years. The grayling lives in dry and warm habitats with easy access to the sun, which helps them with body temperature regulation.

The Grayling butterfly faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized coastal and heathland environments. Climate change and coastal development have reduced the availability of suitable sandy, sparsely vegetated areas where this species breeds and feeds.

Threat summary

Habitat

Hipparchia semele lives at elevations between sea level and about . The grayling is not found in west France, large parts of Greece, Albania, North Macedonia, and south of Bulgaria and the Mediterranean islands.

Other threatened species in Nymphalidae

Scarce FritillaryCR

Scarce Fritillary

Euphydryas maturna

Unknown
EN

Altopedaliodes albonotata

Unknown
Two-tailed PashaVU

Two-tailed Pasha

Charaxes jasius

Unknown
False GraylingVU

False Grayling

Arethusana arethusa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Grayling [butterfly] classified as Critically Endangered?
Grayling [butterfly] is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Grayling butterfly faces severe population declines primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized coastal and heathland environments. Climate change and coastal development have reduced the availability of suitable sandy, sparsely vegetated areas where this species breeds and feeds.
Where does Grayling [butterfly] live?
Grayling [butterfly] occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Grayling [butterfly]?
The main threats to Grayling [butterfly] are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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