Coloradia
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| Blake , 1863 |
Coloradia is a genus of butterflies from the family of the peacock moth (Saturniidae). The Natural History Museum's Global Lepidoptera Names Indexlists 5 species for the genus. The genus is closely related to the genus Hemileuca . The indigenous peoples of America havelong observedthe two-year life cycle of Coloradia pandora and consider the caterpillars a delicacy.
features
The medium-sized moths have black, gray, white and occasionally brown patterned fore wings, which they camouflage well on the bark of pine trees . The hind wings, which are covered by the forewings when they are at rest, are colored in different compositions of washed-out black, white and pink. A sexual dimorphism between the two sexes is developed differently depending on the species. The antennae of the males are broad and double-pinnate, those of the females are fine and pinnate.
The eggs are relatively large for the size of the moth. They are green immediately after being deposited and later turn bluish-gray and have a dark micropyle . The caterpillars reach a body length of 60 to 80 millimeters. All species are known to have stinging hairs , albeit of different lengths.
Occurrence
The genus is found in the montane coniferous forests of the western United States of America and Mexico.
Way of life
The females usually lay their eggs in small groups at the base of pine needles or on the bark of the plants. It is assumed that the caterpillars of all kinds feed on pine trees ( Pinus ). They go through five stages and initially live in groups, with three to five caterpillars eating together on the same pine needle. The way of life of the different species is quite different. The adults are predominantly nocturnal, but at least of Coloradia pandora , flights during the day are documented in the event of mass reproduction . The mating takes place in the evening and is short-lived. Most species occur in one generation per year, Coloradia pandora takes two years to develop. The young caterpillars overwinter in the first winter, the pupae overwinter in the second year. Pupation takes place in all species in a loose cocoon in the ground.
species
Of the five species, with the exception of Coloradia euphrosyne, all occur in the United States. The Natural History Museum's Global Lepidoptera Names Index lists the following species in the genus:
- Coloradia pandora Blake, 1863
- Coloradia doris Barnes, 1900
- Coloradia luski Barnes & Benjamin, 1926
- Coloradia euphrosyne Dyar, 1912
- Coloradia velda Johnson & Walter, 1979
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b The Global Lepidoptera Names Index - Coloradia ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b c d e P. M. Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 , pp. 95 f . (English).
literature
- PM Tuskes, JP Tuttle, MM Collins: The Wild Silkmoths of North America. A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada . Ed .: George C. Eickwort. 1st edition. Cornell University Press, Ithaca / London 1996, ISBN 0-8014-3130-1 (English).
Web links
- Lepidoptera and some other lifeforms (English)