Warm, dry calcareous grassland is a very important habitat type for butterflies, and in Europe contains many rare, and often endangered species. The abundance of flowers and a warm micro-climate make it the richest butterfly habitat in Europe. From Scandinavia to the foothills of the Alps, these thermophile grasslands are usually found on steep hillsides and in mountainous areas. Further to the east, the same plants and animals can be found on the steppes, as in Hungary and Russia ( C-34).