Ash gray earth owl
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Ash gray earth owl ( Agrotis cinerea ) |
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| Agrotis cinerea | ||||||||||||
| ( Denis & Schiffermüller , 1775) |
The ash gray earth owl ( Agrotis cinerea ), also called dry grass earth owl , ash gray ampfeule or ash gray grass root owl, is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of owls (Noctuidae).
features
butterfly
The wingspan of the moth is 33 to 40 millimeters. The color of the forewings varies in different shades of gray, from light gray to brown-gray to black-gray. Female moths are usually darker in color. The kidney flaws are tinted brown and indistinctly delimited, ring and cone flaws are missing. Cross and wavy lines are usually drawn clearly dark. Often there is still a middle shadow. The hind wings are white-gray to gray-brown in color. The strongly serrated antennae of the male moth are characteristic.
Egg, caterpillar, pupa
The yellowish white egg has an indistinctly ribbed surface. Adult caterpillars are usually earth gray and therefore well matched in color to their surroundings. You have some indistinct, dark lines and stripes on the back and sides. Black point warts stand out more intensely. The red-brown doll is characterized by a comb-like cremaster with two short thorns.
Similar species
Some species with a gray base color, for example Agrotis simplonia , Euxoa birivia , Rhyacia helvetina , the light gray earth owl ( Agrotis decora ), the mountain meadow ground owl ( Epipsilia grisescens ) and the ash gray ground owl ( Xestia ashworthii ssp. Candelarum ) are similar to the ash gray owl . Distinguishing features from cinerea are their early flight time, the strongly toothed antennae of the males and the mostly darker colored females.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The species occurs from Morocco through almost all of Europe to the Urals . It can also be found in the northern part of Asia Minor , the Caucasus and the Caspian Depression . In the Alps , it rises to around 2000 meters. Preferred habitat are rocky slopes, stony grasslands and scree slopes with little vegetation.
Way of life
The diurnal and nocturnal moths fly from the end of April to the end of June and visit artificial light sources , bait and flowers, such as those of the barberry ( Berberis vulgaris ). In autumn, the caterpillars feed mainly on the roots and lower leaves of various herbaceous plants and grasses. These include chickweed ( Stellaria media ), alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) as well as dock ( Rumex ) and dandelion species ( Taraxacum ). They overwinter as adults and pupate mostly in April of the following year in a cave under stones.
Danger
In Germany, the ash gray earth owl occurs regionally in very different numbers, but has even been detected on the islands of Usedom and Hiddensee . It is listed in category 3 (endangered) on the red list of endangered species .
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ Red lists at Science4you
- ↑ Fibiger (1990: p. 76/7)
- ^ A b Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .
- ↑ a b Axel Steiner in Ebert (1998: pp. 540–543)
- ↑ E. and H. Urbahn: The butterflies of Pomerania with a comparative overview of the Baltic Sea area , Entomological Association of Stettin, Stettin 1939
- ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany . Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .
literature
- Michael Fibiger: noctuinae I . In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae . 1st edition. tape 1 . Entomological Press, Sorø 1990, ISBN 87-89430-01-8 (English).
- Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg . 1st edition. tape 7 . Moth V Noctuidae 3rd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1998, ISBN 3-8001-3500-0 .
Web links
- www.lepiforum.de - photos
- www.schmetterlinge-deutschlands.de - endangerment
- Agrotis cinerea at Fauna Europaea