Broad-winged Fleckleibbär

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Broad-winged Fleckleibbär
male wide-winged fleckleibbär (Spilosoma lubricipeda)

male wide-winged fleckleibbär ( Spilosoma lubricipeda )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Erebidae
Subfamily : Bear Moth (Arctiinae)
Genre : Spilosoma
Type : Broad-winged Fleckleibbär
Scientific name
Spilosoma lubricipeda
( Linnaeus , 1758)
Caterpillar

The broad-winged Fleckleibbär or the white tiger moth ( Spilosoma lubricipeda ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the subfamily of the bear moth (Arctiinae). Older scientific names are Spilarctica lubricipeda and Spilosoma menthastri .

description

The wingspan is about 30 to 42 millimeters. You can recognize this white butterfly by the irregularly distributed points on the upper side of the forewings. On the basis of these characteristics, however, one cannot distinguish it from the narrow-winged Fleckleibbär . A relatively large proportion of the animals agree with the most obvious characteristic of the respective species 1 :

  • Spilosoma urticae - pure white, no or very few black spots
  • Spilosoma lubricipeda - wings with many black dots

There is, however, a not inconsiderable proportion of little or no drawing white animals in nature. More or less punctured specimens can also occur in Spilosoma urticae .

The head has clear ridge feelers, which are a habitual feature that can be clearly distinguished in the males. in Spilosoma lubricipeda the antennae comb teeth are significantly longer than in Spilosoma urticae . The close relationship between the two species is also evident in the genital morphology 1 .

The upper side of the body has a yellow warning color, which is provided with a series of black spots on both sides. In case of danger, the species plays dead and shows the enemy its horrifying yellow and black rear part.

Caterpillars

The caterpillars are about 40 millimeters long. They are gray-brown in color and have a yellowish white or reddish stripe on the back. They have very thick, dark brown hair.

Similar species

habitat

The wide-winged Fleckleibbären can be found all over Europe up to the 62nd degree of latitude, i.e. to southern Scandinavia and southern Finland , particularly often in damp places on forest edges, bare areas, in old gravel pits, on fields and on ruderal areas . In the mountains up to an altitude of 1,800 m. There are never mass developments such as B. with the nun .

Way of life

The animals are poisonous and are spat out by birds and no longer attacked after such an experience. Similar bear moth species that are not poisonous benefit from this similarity ( mimicry ).

Flight and caterpillar times

The flight time starts in mid-May and ends in July. In favorable years there are two incomplete generations. The moths are nocturnal, especially just before sunrise, in contrast to the majority of moths . The caterpillars are found from July to September.

Food of the caterpillars

The caterpillars feed on many different plants, such as B. of common dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ), great nettle ( Urtica dioica ), broom broom ( Sarothamnus scoparius ), alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ), adder's head ( Echium vulgare ), plantain ( Plantago spec. ), Meadow sorrel ( Rumex acetosa ), Blackberries ( Rubus fruticosus ), raspberries ( Rubus idaeus ) and elderberries ( Sambucus spec. ).

development

The females lay their eggs in large groups next to each other on the underside of the leaves of the forage plants. The hatching caterpillars move very quickly. Pupation takes place in a firm web, which is also built with caterpillar hair. The animals overwinter in it.

swell

literature

  • Heiko Bellmann : The new Kosmos butterfly guide. Butterflies, caterpillars and forage plants. Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-440-09330-1 .
  • Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 5, Nachtfalter III (Sesiidae, Arctiidae, Noctuidae), Ulmer Verlag Stuttgart, 1997, ISBN 3-800-13481-0
  • Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 2: Bears, Spinners, Swarmers and Drills in Germany. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Radebeul / Berlin 1964, DNB 452481929 .

Web links

Commons : Breitflügeliger Fleckleibbär  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files