Mountain grass owl

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Mountain grass owl
Mountain grass owl (Leucania comma)

Mountain grass owl ( Leucania comma )

Systematics
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Hadeninae
Genre : Leucania
Subgenus : Leucania
Type : Mountain grass owl
Scientific name
Leucania comma
( Linnaeus , 1761)

The mountain grass owl ( Leucania comma ), formerly also known as the comma owl, is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae). In the literature, the species can also be found as Mythimna comma or Aletia comma .

description

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 30 to 37 millimeters. The color of the upper side of the forewing varies from reddish gray to brown-gray or gray-yellow to beige. The front edge is slightly lightened. A black root welt stands out clearly. Since this resembles a stretched comma, comma was chosen as the type epithet . The wing veins are white. There is a row of small black arrow marks along the hemline. The hind wings are dark gray in color. The veins do not stand out from the ground.

Caterpillar

Adult caterpillars have a reddish brown basic color and are provided with thin gray back and side back lines as well as narrow brownish and whitish side stripes. The head shows two distinct black stripes.

Doll

The yellow-brown pupa is short and fat.

Similar species

In Leucania putrescens the black root welt is shorter and the upper side of the hind wing lighter than in the mountain grass owl. Leucania fortunata , which occurs in the Canary Islands, as well as Leucania insueta , which is native to parts of North America, have no geographical overlap with Leucania comma .

distribution and habitat

The mountain grass owl is widespread in Central Europe. The eastern extension extends to Korea . It was introduced to Newfoundland in the 1950s . The species lives mainly on moist meadows, preferably in mountain and hill country. In the Alps , it was detected at an altitude of 2100 meters.

Way of life

The moths form two generations per year, which can be found from mid-May to early July and less numerous from August to October. They fly to artificial light sources , visit bait and have also been observed sucking on butterfly lilacs ( Buddleja davidii ). Various sweet grasses (Poaceae) are named as food plants for the caterpillars . The species overwinters as a young caterpillar.

Danger

The mountain grass owl occurs in all German federal states and is not endangered.

swell

literature

  • Günter Ebert, Axel Steiner: The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg - Volume 7, Moths V (Owls (Noctuidae) 3rd part). Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998. ISBN 3-800-13500-0 .
  • Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .
  • Hermann Hacker, László Ronkay and Márton Hreblay: Noctuidae Europaeae vol. 4 Hadeninae I . Entomological, Sorø 2002, ISBN 87-894-30-07-7 .
  • Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1972, DNB 760072930 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Hermann Hacker, László Ronkay, Márton Hreblay: Noctuidae Europaeae vol. 4 Hadeninae I. Entomological Press, Sorø 2002, ISBN 87-894-30-07-7 .
  2. ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe. Volume 1, E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart (E. Nägele), 1908.
  3. ^ 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 .
  4. ^ Leucania comma in North America
  5. ↑ a b Günter Ebert (Ed.): The Butterflies of Baden-Württemberg - Volume 7, Nachtfalter V. Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-8001-3500-0 .
  6. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany. Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .

Web links

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