Birch moth (species)
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European birch moth ( Endromis versicolora ), male |
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| Endromis versicolora | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
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The birch moth ( Endromis versicolora ) is a butterfly from the family of the birch moth (Endromidae).
features
The moths reach a wingspan of 55 to 92 millimeters and have a very clumsy body. The males are significantly smaller than the females ( sexual dimorphism ). The coloration is also different in the two sexes. The males have dark brown or rust-brown forewings on which two black and white colored transverse bars can be seen, of which the one further back is sharply S-shaped. Between these, near the leading edge of the wing, there is a black spot in the form of a hook or an L. In addition, numerous white lines and whitishly indicated spots can be seen on the wings. The hind wings are colored orange and have only a faint brown markings. The females are clearly lighter brown in color and also have more white areas in the otherwise identical pattern. The hind wings are predominantly light colored with some brown spots. One can clearly see the extension of the posterior transverse ligament of the forewings. This is also dark brown and has a curvy course. The thorax is very strong, the abdomen is very hairy. The coloring corresponds to the adjacent wing colors. Both sexes have medium-length, double-combed antennae , but those of the females are thinner. The proboscis of the animals are stunted.
The caterpillars are about 63 millimeters long. They are very thick and clearly narrowed towards the small head. The head capsule has dark or whitish longitudinal lines, depending on the age. On the 11th segment, the caterpillars have a pointed hump. Their coloring is initially black-green, later bright green with light, yellowish-white side stripes that run diagonally from top to bottom. They have numerous fine black spots on the side. The back is light. Shortly before pupation, they become a little darker and show reddish areas.
Occurrence
The animals are found almost throughout the Palearctic , absent in parts of the Mediterranean and the British Isles . They occur almost everywhere in Central Europe , but have now become rare. They live mainly on the edge of bogs with sparse birch growth, but also occur in dry locations with their forage plants, such as in deciduous forests . They are rarely found in places where birch trees do not grow.
Way of life
The female moths are nocturnal, the males fly in search of females during the day, but they also fly to light sources at night. During the day, the females sit on branches and tree trunks close to the ground and send out attractants that attract males. The moths only live briefly to reproduce because they cannot take in food.
Flight and caterpillar times
The birch moths fly from mid-March to mid-May, the caterpillars are found from May to July.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed mainly on the leaves of the birch family (Betulaceae), especially those of the silver birch ( Betula pendula ). They are also found on black alder ( Alnus glutinosa ), common hazel ( Corylus avellana ), winter lime ( Tilia platyphyllos ) and hornbeam ( Carpinus betulus ).
development
After mating, the females lay their initially light yellow, later greenish eggs in groups of 20 to 40 on branches at night. Shortly before hatching, they turn purple-blue. The hatching caterpillars live gregariously until the third moult and eat the branches from the tip down. When they sense danger, they stretch the front part of the body upwards in an arc and move their front legs in a circle. Old caterpillars live solitary and live on the underside of the branches. Pupation takes place in summer in a loose cocoon on the ground. The pupa hibernates before the butterfly hatches.
Hazard and protection
- Red list FRG: V (on the pre-warning list).
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Heiko Bellmann : The new cosmos butterfly guide. Butterflies, caterpillars and forage plants. Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-440-09330-1 , p. 84.
- ^ A b c Hans-Josef Weidemann, Jochen Köhler: Moths. Weirdos and hawkers. Naturbuch-Verlag, Augsburg 1996, ISBN 3-89440-128-1 , p. 134ff.
- ↑ Endromis versicolora. Butterflies-Deutschlands.de, Christian Tolasch, accessed on January 25, 2007 .
- ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany. Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 978-3-89624-110-8
