Axia margarita
| Axia margarita | ||||||||||||
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Axia margarita |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Axia margarita | ||||||||||||
| ( Huebner , 1813) |
Axia margarita is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the Gold moths (Cimeliidae). The former name of the family Axiidae was renamed to Cimeliidae to avoid confusion with the mole crabs family of the same name.
features
butterfly
The moths reach a wingspan of 22 to 28 millimeters. The basic color of the forewings is bright pink. In the submarginal region there is a large, elongated yellow spot, which is bordered towards the inner edge with a silver-white stripe. Two whitish lines emanate from the root area. A large, drop-shaped, silver-white spot in the middle field, which sometimes looks like a pearl, is very noticeable. The scientific name of the species is derived from this characteristic from the Latin margarita = "pearl". Next to it is another point-like spot of the same color. Usually these two spots are not connected. Only occasionally do they run into each other. The hem field and the fringes are light pink. The hind wings are colored gray-brown without drawing.
Specimens from Morocco and Andalusia , which belong to the subspecies Axia margarita andalusica , show strong purple-violet hues on the forewings.
Similar species
Axia napoleona , Axia vaulogeri and Axia nesiota
Geographical distribution and habitat
The distribution of Axia margarita includes Morocco , Spain , southern France , Istria and the south of Carniola . The animals are mainly found in warm coastal areas or dry low-lying areas.
Way of life
The moths fly mainly during the day and form two generations per year, which can be found from April to October. They like to rest with roof-shaped wings on the reddish, lower stems of the food plant, where they are perfectly matched in color. Since the silver-white spot in the middle of the forewings resembles a drop of dew, they are hardly noticeable. They only visit artificial light sources occasionally . The caterpillars feed on various types of milkweed ( Euphorbia ).
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Josef J. de Freina, Thomas J. Witt: Noctuoidea, Sphingoidea, Geometroidea, Bombycoidea . In: The Bombyces and Sphinges of the Western Palaearctic . 1st edition. tape 1 . EFW Edition Research & Science, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-926285-00-1 .
- ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe , Volume 2, E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, 1910
literature
- Josef J. de Freina, Thomas J. Witt: Noctuoidea, Sphingoidea, Geometroidea, Bombycoidea . In: The Bombyces and Sphinges of the Western Palaearctic . 1st edition. tape 1 . EFW Edition Research & Science, Munich 1987, ISBN 3-926285-00-1 .
Web links
- Paolo Mazzei, Daniel Morel, Raniero Panfili, Ilaria Pimpinelli, Diego Reggianti: Axia margarita. In: Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa. Retrieved February 26, 2013 .
- Markku Savela: Axia margarita. In: Lepidoptera and some other life forms. Retrieved February 26, 2013 (dissemination).
- Axia margarita at Fauna Europaea. Retrieved January 18, 2013