| Family | Nymphalidae |
|---|---|
| Subfamily | Satyrinae |
| Genus | Satyrus |
| Species | ferula |
| Authority | (Fabricius, 1793) |
| English Name | Great Sooty Satyr |
| European Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
|---|---|
| EU 27 Red List 2010 | Least Concern (LC) |
| European Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| EU 27 Red List 2025 | Least Concern (LC) |
| Habitats Directive | |
| Bern Convention | |
| CITES |
In the mountains, the Great Sooty Satyr is mostly found in open, dry, rocky places with grassy vegetation. At lower altitudes, the butterflies occur in open clearings in woods, or at wood edges. They can often be seen drinking nectar on such flowers as thistles and scabious (Knautia spp.). The female lays her eggs low down on dry grass stems. The caterpillars hibernate when still quite small, and pupate in May or June. Sheep’s-fescue (Festuca ovina) is the most important foodplant, but other fescues (Festuca spp.), false-bromes (Brachypodium spp.), and bromes (Bromus spp.) are probably also used.
Albania / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Bulgaria / Croatia / France / France: Mainland / Greece / Greece: Mainland / Italy / Italy: Mainland / North Macedonia / Montenegro / Romania / European Russia / Serbia / Serbia: Serbia / Serbia: Kosovo / Slovenia / Spain / Spain: Mainland / Switzerland /