Libythea celtis (Laicharting, 1782) European Beak or Nettle-tree Butterfly, Zurgelbaumfalter auch Zergelbaum-Schnauzenfalter, Echancre, Носатка листовидная, Տերևանման երկարաքիթ
Distribution and biological peculiarities in Armenia: The species is distributed from Northern Africa and Southern Europe through Asia Minor, to Chitral, Formosa, and Japan. Armenia is inhabited by nominate subspecies, which predominantly occupies semi-deserts, riparian woodlands, and dry mountain steppes of Central, Southern and North-eastern regions at the elevation range from 400 to 2000 m a.s.l. In Armenia the larval host-plant is Celtis glabrata. The species gives one generation per year having butterflies hibernating. They begin flying from mid March until late April, and then hatch out in early June and stay on wing until late September to mid October.
Population dynamics: The species is slightly uncommon to common within typical habitat, and shows stable population trend in 2003-2013 (p<0.05), which nevertheless shows strong fluctuations, probably conditioned by number of parasites, which affect the larvae.
Conservation measures: The species is not included in the Global and National Red Lists, as well as in CITES and Bern Conventions, however are included in European Red Book as Least Concern, the same status that is suggested for Armenia. The distribution range of European Beak is covered by number of Protected Areas, Emerald Sites, and Prime Butterfly Areas. Apparently the species doesn't require specific conservation measures, however its monitoring, as the food specialist, remains important.