Aglossa caprealis

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Aglossa caprealis
Aglossa caprealis

Aglossa caprealis

Systematics
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Superfamily : Pyraloidea
Family : European borer (Pyralidae)
Subfamily : Pyralinae
Genre : Aglossa
Type : Aglossa caprealis
Scientific name
Aglossa caprealis
Huebner , 1809

Aglossa caprealis is a (small) butterfly from the family of the common borer (Pyralidae). The species is considered a stock pest .

features

The moths have a wingspan of about 25 mm (or a fore wing length of 10 to 12 mm). The forewings are mostly red-brown to purple-brown with yellowish interferences. However, there are also dark brown specimens. The root region is often much darker in color. The lighter drawing consisting of two transverse lines and blemishes can be very clear or almost absent. The inner transverse line, if present, is strongly jagged, the outer transverse line, on the other hand, is finely jagged with a very wide and deep outward bulge in the middle of the forewing. The outer transverse line can be widened like spots at the front and inner edges. There may be several bright spots in the middle field. The discal patch is usually very large and has a dark core. In some specimens a weak subterminal line can also be seen, which runs close to the bulge of the outer transverse line across the wing. This is also slightly jagged. At the costal edge, in addition to the thickening of the outer and possibly also the inner transverse line, there are usually several smaller spots in the area of ​​the middle field.

The hind wings are white to whitish-yellow, sometimes dusty ocher-colored. The head and thorax are colored red-brown or purple-brown, the abdomen gray-brown. The feelers are simply thread-shaped.

The elongated-elliptical or oval egg is initially light yellowish-brown when placed and later turns light gray-brown. It measures (0.81 ± 0.03) mm × (0.56 ± 0.02) mm. The surface has an irregular polygonal mesh pattern. The boundaries of the polygons are folded irregularly.

The caterpillar is pale to blackish, often with a green or bronze tint. The head is reddish brown, the stigmata are outlined in black. The bristles are light brown and sit on light-colored warts. The head and anal plates as well as the thorax legs are colored yellowish-brown. It becomes about 20 mm long.

The pupa is light reddish brown with a finely dotted abdomen. The cremaster has six hook-shaped bristles.

Geographical distribution and habitat

The species occurs almost everywhere in Europe, but is relatively rare and regionally absent, for example in Bohemia, Slovakia and western Ukraine. However, it is more likely to be found in southern Europe and North Africa. She has now been abducted almost all over the world. In Central Europe the species occurs almost exclusively synanthropically , i. H. near people, such as in stables, stores and department stores.

Way of life

The species forms one generation per year whose moths fly in July and August; Parts of the population appear to have a two-year development cycle. The moths are nocturnal and rest during the day on walls or other places in the buildings where they live. The egg caterpillars hatch 10 days to three weeks after the eggs are laid, depending on the temperature. They can be found from August to May of the following year or even to May of the second year. They live in ghost tubes in and under their food. This consists of vegetable waste, hay, straw, but also grain and their products. According to Slamka, they should also eat animal waste. In Morocco they have been seen eating the eggs of Lymantria dispar . In California, the species also lives on the dry rot -like mushroom species Poria incrassata . She prefers a humid microclimate. Pupation takes place in a white silk cocoon, which is covered by plant debris and waste.

Harmful effect

Since the animals in Central Europe occur almost exclusively in human dwellings and farm buildings, they are traditionally considered to be pests and "vermin". However, no major damage has been reported in Europe so far. This is not to be expected due to the long development time of one to two years. On the contrary, the species is rarely found in Europe today. In North Africa, the caterpillars are said to attack the corks of wine bottles and are a major nuisance there.

Systematics

The taxon was first scientifically described by Jacob Huebner in 1809 as Pyralis caprealis . Later authors rated the spelling caprealis as a spelling mistake for cuprealis , with the interpretation cuprealis = "copper-colored moth". Therefore, the species can also be found in older literature as Aglossa cuprealis . This arbitrary change in spelling is not permitted under the International Rules for Zoological Nomenclature .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g Carter: Pest Lepidoptera of Europe. 1984, pp. 203-204.
  2. ↑ a b c Hannemann: Kleinschmetterlinge or Microlepidoptera. 1964, p. 240.
  3. ^ Richard T. Arbogast, Richard van Byrd: External morphology of the eggs of the meal moth. Pyralis farinalis (L.), and the murky meal moth, Aglossa caprealis. (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). In: Journal of Insect Morphology & Embryology. 10 (5/6), 1981, pp. 419-423.
  4. ^ A b W. Ebeling: Urban entomology. University of California division of Agricultural Sciences, Los Angeles 1975. (online at: entomology.ucr.edu )
  5. ↑ a b Slamka: Die Münslerfalter (Pyraloidea) Central Europe. 1997, p. 13.
  6. ^ Claire Villement, Marie-Cécile Andreï-Ruiz: Life-cycles and biological features of eggs predators of Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) in the Mamora cork oak forest, Morocco. In: European Journal of Entomology. 96, 1999, pp. 29-36. (PDF; 1.1 MB)
  7. ↑ Herbert Weidner, Udo Sellenschlo: pests and vermin House: Determination tables for Central Europe. Spectrum, Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg 2010, ISBN 978-3-8274-2406-8 . (online at Google books)

literature

  • David J. Carter: Pest Lepidoptera of Europe with special references to the British Isles. Dr. W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht 1984, ISBN 90-6193-504-0 .
  • Karl Eckstein: The butterflies of Germany. Volume 5: The Small Butterflies of Germany. KG Lutz Verlag, Stuttgart 1933.
  • Hans-Joachim Hannemann: Small butterflies or Microlepidoptera II. The moths (sl) (Cochylidae and Carposinidae) The moths (Pyraloidea). (The animal world in Germany and the adjacent parts of the sea according to their characteristics and their way of life, part 50). Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena 1964, DNB 458345377 .
  • František Slamka: The common moth (Pyraloidea) of Central Europe. 2nd Edition. Bratislava 1997, ISBN 80-967540-2-5 .

Web links

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