I Lepidotteri Ropaloceri della Riserva Statale di Popolamento Animale "Lago di Burano" (Capalbio, Grosseto).

during 2007-2009 we surveyed rhopalocerans in the Riserva Statale di Popolamento animale “Lago di Burano” (southern Tuscany). We found fifty species, some of which are widespread and common (Pieris brassicae, Colias crocea, Polyommatus icarus, Lasiommata megera, Pieris rapae, Gonepteryx cleopatra, Maniola jurtina, Coenonympha pamphilus, Papilio machaon, Limenitis reducta and Kanetisa circe), but others, such as Thymelicus acteon, Gegenes nostrodamus, Zerynthia cassandra, Lycaena thersamon, Charaxes jasius, Libythea celtis, Hipparchia fagi and Hipparchia statilinus, are threatened. The main threats to rhopalocerans in the reserve are vegetation and water control in agriculture. To reduce the impact of agriculture it is suggested: i) to maintain a strip of uncultivated land at least 20 m wide around the lake and a belt of vegetation 2-4 m wide along channels and ditches; ii) to conserve hedges and shrubs; iii) to cut herbaceous plants in december or January.