Zygaena ephialtes is day-flying species of burnet moth found in Europe.

As characteristic of Zygaenidae moths, they have prominent spots on their wings, which alerts predators that they contain toxins.

— In the west of the area, especially in Northern Italy, South Germany, Austria, and also in some of the Balcan States, there occur two forms which are marked like ephialtes resp.

medusa, but have the 2 basal spots of the forewing and the abdominal belt deep yellow instead of red; these forms are coronillae Esp.

— Likewise in Austria there occur, often together with other forms at the same places, two varieties in which the spots of the forewing as well as the whole hindwing except the black margin are yellow; these are icterica Led.

Sometimes the yellow colour has a strong reddish tint; such forms are named by Hirschke princi (6b), if there are 6 spots, and aurantiaca if there are 5.

— Also red forms are found which are similar in appearance to red-belted filipendulae resp trifolii ab.

— We have further to mention a group of aberrations in which the hindwing bears two small spots instead of a single white or red one.

Thus, ephialtes with 2 white spots to the hindwing bears the name sophiae Favre, the corresponding form of medusa being aemilii Favre, while coronillae with 2 spots is bahri Hirschke and the corresponding trigonellae- form wutzdorffi Hirschke.

— Larva yellow or green, reddish yellow at the sides, with pale belts; a dorsal stripe and subdorsal rows of spots black; above the legs rows of black dots; on the whole similar to the larva of filipendulae; in May adult on Vetch, Trefoil, Thyme, Eryngium, Plantago, etc., the black pupa in a white-yellow silky cocoon.

The imagines fly in July in meadows, venturing even into gardens; they are especially often found resting on the heads of thistles standing near the edges of woods and on fallow ground, sometimes one finds only one form at a certain place, sometimes several forms fly about at the same time in one field, copulating together, the offspring, however, not having mixed or transitional characters.

[5] This family of moths is spread throughout most of Europe, ranging from Spain to the Ural Mountains.

Z. ephialtes prefer xeric conditions, and were rarely found in more humid areas.

[3][4] Subspecies include:[6] As mentioned earlier, this species is an integral part of xeric environments.

Because of changing environments, these butterflies are required to travel longer than normal distances to find suitable habitats.

Recently there has been some human involvement with the species by protecting some xeric sites that the butterflies inhabit.