Broad-winged earth owl

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Broad-winged earth owl
Male butterfly of the broad-winged earth owl (Agrotis bigramma)

Male butterfly of the broad-winged earth owl ( Agrotis bigramma )

Systematics
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Noctuinae
Tribe : Agrotini
Sub tribus : Agrotina
Genre : Agrotis
Type : Broad-winged earth owl
Scientific name
Agrotis bigramma
( Esper , 1790)

The broad-winged earth owl ( Agrotis bigramma , syn .: Agrotis crassa ), also called white-striped earth owl , is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae).

features

butterfly

The moths reach a wingspan of 38 to 50 millimeters, whereby the wide range in the wingspan is explained by the fact that the female specimens are much larger than the male. The forewings have a comparatively broad shape and are gray-brown or light brown in color. Cone, ring and kidney blemishes are predominantly dark and very distinct. Cross and wavy lines, however, are often only indistinct. The hind wings of the males are colorless and snow-white, those of the females show a gray band. In the male butterflies, the toothed antennae are noticeable, whereas in the females they are thread-shaped.

Egg, caterpillar, pupa

The yellowish brown egg has a flattened shape without ribs. It is provided with a dark colored ring.

Adult caterpillars are glossy blackish or dark brown in color. They look plump and fat. Back and side lines are light but indistinct. There are thin gray bristles on the point warts.

The squat, light reddish brown doll is marked by two short thorns on the hollowed-out cremaster .

Similar species

There is a great similarity to Agrotis lata , which however produces somewhat smaller butterflies. The antennae of the males are more strongly serrated up to the tip, in A. bigramma they are less strongly serrated and the serration ends in front of the seat. The segments of the thread-like antennae of the females are about twice as long as they are wide at the apex in A. lata , but in A. bigramma they are only much shorter. In A. lata , the upper side of the hind wings of the females usually shows white veins. In A. lata the wedge spots on the upper side of the forewing are often longer and more clearly developed, and the discal spot on the lower side of the hind wing is usually more marked.

Geographical distribution and habitat

The broad-winged earth owl is a predominantly southern species that occurs in the entire Mediterranean area, including the North African coastal countries. In Central Europe, the northern border of the distribution area runs across northern France, northern Germany, the southern Baltic states and across Russia to the Urals and western Siberia (about 82 ° east longitude). It is also widespread in the Middle East as far as Afghanistan.

The species prefers open areas, fields, pastures and fallow land with rather sparse vegetation on herbaceous plants and bushes.

Way of life

The nocturnal moths mainly fly from July to September in one generation per year. You will visit artificial light sources and the bait , also the flowers of the Canadian goldenrod ( Solidago canadensis ) or the tansy ( Tanacetum vulgare ). The caterpillars can be found from September. They mainly feed on the roots of sweet grasses ( Poaceae ), overwinter and pupate in a cave in June of the following year. According to Fibiger, the caterpillars have also appeared as pests in vineyards.

Danger

The broad-winged earth owl occurs in different numbers in Germany, is rare in some areas and is included on the red list of endangered species on the warning list.

Systematics

Until recently the species was known under the scientific name Agrotis crassa (Huebner, 1803). After examining the types of the species described by Eugen Johann Christoph Esper in 1790, it turned out that this name is a younger synonym of Phalaena Noctua bigramma Esper, 1790. The currently valid name is therefore Agrotis bigramma (Esper, 1790).

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Red lists at Science4you
  2. ↑ Michael Fibiger: noctuinae I . In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae . 1st edition. tape 1 . Entomological Press, Sorø 1990, ISBN 87-89430-01-8 (English).
  3. ↑ 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. ↑ a b 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 .
  5. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany . Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .
  6. ↑ Hermann Hacker: The types of Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) described by EJ Ch. Esper (1742-1810) in his "The butterflies in pictures according to nature". Esperiana, book series on entomology, 6: 433–468, Schwanfeld 1998 full text (PDF, German; 195 kB)

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

Commons : Broad-winged Earth Owl  - Collection of images, videos, and audio files