Аннотация:A list is provided of Rhopalocera collected in 1985-1995 from an isolated locality at the headwaters of the Don River. P. (A.) ripartii (FREYER, 1830) is recorded for the first time for the Central European part of Russia. The local population of P. (A.) ripartii FRR. inhabits a steppe biotope utilizing Onobrychis tanaitica as foodplant. It is suggested that the specimens of Maculinea alcon ((DENIS & SCHIFFERMOLLER), 1775) from Central Russia were in fact the mixture of the two species Maculinea alcon ((DENIS & SCHIFFERMULLER), 1775) and Maculinea rebeli (HIRSCHKE, 1904). The problem of establishing scientific mini-reserves at areas of specific plant and insect diversity is discussed.