Whitish-yellow tufted owl

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Whitish-yellow tufted owl
Whitish-yellow tufted owl (Apamea lithoxylaea)

Whitish-yellow tufted owl ( Apamea lithoxylaea )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Xyleninae
Genre : Apamea
Type : Whitish-yellow tufted owl
Scientific name
Apamea lithoxylaea
( Denis & Schiffermüller , 1775)
Caterpillar

The whitish-yellow grass tufted owl ( Apamea lithoxylaea ), also known as the dry grass root owl, is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae).

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 44 to 53 millimeters. The basic color of the narrow forewings is white-yellow to light brown-gray. Kidney, cone and ring flaws are missing. Sometimes a slightly darkened, brownish middle shadow stands out. Some specimens also have a darkened area in the edge area. The transverse lines are indicated by dark points. A broad, darkened hem without a center line can be seen on the gray-white hind wings.

egg

The egg has a light green color, a hemispherical shape and is provided with a large number of longitudinal ribs that run down to the micropyl zone.

Caterpillar

Adult caterpillars are glassy, ​​gray to yellow-gray in color and have black point warts. The head and pronotum are colored black-brown. The body has some very short dark bristles.

Doll

The slender doll is shiny red-brown in color and has a button-shaped, wrinkled cremaster that ends in two short, slightly curved tips.

Similar species

The reddish-yellow tufted owl ( Apamea sublustris ) shows, as the name suggests, a more reddish-yellow basic color on the front wings. In addition, a dark center line can be seen on the hind wings.

distribution and habitat

The distribution of the species extends from Europe and the Middle East to Armenia , north to Scotland and south Fennoscandinavia , south to central Spain , south Italy , Sicily and north Greece . It also occurs in the Caucasus and Altai . In the Alps it rises to around 1200 meters. The whitish-yellow tufted owl prefers to live on dry slopes, on grassy forest clearings and heaths, as well as on dry lawns .

Way of life

The nocturnal moths fly in one generation per year from June to August. They sometimes appear in numbers on artificial light sources , occasionally also on baits . The caterpillars live mainly from September, overwinter and pupate in May of the following year. They stay in a cave on the ground under tufts of grass and feed on the roots of various grasses, for example panicle grasses ( Poa ).

Danger

The whitish-yellow grass tufted owl can be found widespread in many regions of Germany and is classified as "not endangered" on the Red List of Endangered Species .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Alberto Zilli, László Ronkay, Michael Fibiger: Apameini . In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae . 1st edition. tape 8 . Entomological Press, Sorø 2005, ISBN 87-89430-09-3 (English).
  2. ^ 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 .
  3. ^ Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg . 1st edition. tape 6 . Moth IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9 .
  4. ↑ Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 4/2: Owls. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1954, DNB 450378381 .
  5. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany . Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .

literature

  • Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1972, DNB 760072930 .
  • Alberto Zilli, László Ronkay, Michael Fibiger: Apameini . In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae . 1st edition. tape 8 . Entomological Press, Sorø 2005, ISBN 87-89430-09-3 (English).
  • Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg . 1st edition. tape 6 . Moth IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9 .

Web links

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