Acharia stimulea
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Acharia stimulea |
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| ( Clemens , 1860) |
Acharia stimulea is a butterfly found in North America( moth ) from the family of the snail moth (Limacodidae).
features
butterfly
The wingspan of the moths is 26 to 43 millimeters, with the females being larger than the males. The upper side of the forewing shows various shades of brown, from which a small white spot near the root and one to three small white spots near the apex stand out. The upper side of the hind wing is not marked and has a white-gray to pale brown color. The thorax and legs are furry brown hair. A proboscis is missing.
Caterpillar
Adult caterpillars have stunted legs, move like isopods and are extremely striking in color. Their basic color is rust-brown to dark gray-brown, the middle part resembles a green blanket, in the center of which a large, white, saddle-like patch of brown stands out. It is therefore referred to in English as the Saddleback caterpillar . The point warts have dark bristles and stinging hairs that are horn-like and branched on both sides of the head and the end of the body. They contain toxins and cause severe itching when touched, which can last for several hours. The head capsule is shiny reddish brown. There are two white spots behind the head. The caterpillars of the similar species Acharia apicalis show an almost identical overall appearance. However, since they occur in Central America and northern South America, while Acharia stimulea is native to North America, the species can be differentiated based on their localities.
Caterpillar, side view
Caterpillar, top view
Doll in the cocoon
Distribution and occurrence
Acharia stimulea is common in the east and southeast of the United States . In rare cases, caterpillars of Acharia stimulea have also been introduced to Germany together with tropical ornamental plants , where, however, they are not able to reproduce. Due to their wide food spectrum, they can be found in areas with a wide variety of vegetation.
Way of life
The nocturnal moths appear in the north between June and July, in Florida and Texas as early as February and March. They like to visit artificial light sources . Since they do not ingest food, their lifespan is short. The young caterpillars hatch about ten days after laying eggs. The polyphagous caterpillars feed on the leaves of an exceptionally wide range of different herbs, shrubs and trees. Pupation takes place after a caterpillar period of four to five months on the leaves of the food plant in a cocoon .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Christopher S. Bibbs & J. Howard Frank: Featured Creatures - saddleback_caterpillar, Acharia stimulea , University of Florida, 2015, No. EENY-522, (accessed at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/medical/saddleback_caterpillar.htm on August 17, 2017)
- ↑ Ulf Buchsbaum: Acharia stimulea (Clemens, 1860) - an American Limacodidae in Thuringia (Lepidoptera) , communications from the Thuringian Entomologenverband eV, Volume 10, Issue 2, 2003, pp. 9-12
Web links
- bugguide.net - Photo Imago