Whether enchantment or illusion, butterflies have a very close connection with the sense of sight. The "Spialia", for example, really seems to "spy" via the spots on its wings (from "spaihon" = to look).
Also for this reason, this butterfly is tied to the name of Quintus Sertorius, a Roman soldier renowned for having lost an eye in battle. This butterfly belonging to the family of the Hesperides is a rather resolute chap, it knows very well what it likes and what not. For example, it dislikes the sea, in fact Spialia is found in all Italian regions except Sicily and Sardinia. And even at meals it has precise and refined tastes. Just think that the caterpillars of this butterfly feed only on some plants, the Rosaceae, and in particular on great burnet (Sanguisorba). It shares this culinary preference with its sisters Spialia therapne, Spialia ali and Spialia rosae from whom it is hard to tell it apart, even to the more expert ones. Scientists in fact distinguish among these sisters only thanks to the microscopic observation of their genitals and to particular techniques of DNA analysis.