Spring feeler autumn tensioner

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Spring feeler autumn tensioner
Spring feeler autumn leaves (Colotois pennaria)

Spring feeler autumn leaves ( Colotois pennaria )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Spanner (Geometridae)
Subfamily : Ennominae
Genre : Colotois
Type : Spring feeler autumn tensioner
Scientific name
Colotois pennaria
( Linnaeus , 1761)
Spring-feelers caterpillar

The spring feeler autumn spanner ( Colotois pennaria ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of spanners (Geometridae). It is a relatively large butterfly, whose German species name goes back to the strongly feathered antennae of the males and the late appearance of the species in the year. Another name for the species is hair back tensioner . This is due to the strong hair on the tensioner body. Another species name is spring tensioner based on the antennae of the male.

features

The wingspan is 45 to 50 millimeters. The males are usually larger than the females. The forewings of this species are usually brown, with the individual individuals varying in color. The variants range from light gray-brown to red-brown. On the forewings there are two darker transverse lines, the lower one of which is almost straight. On the lighter hind wings there is a transverse line that is significantly lighter than that on the forewings and can barely be seen in some individuals. There are two dark spots on each of the forewings, of which the lower ones usually have a light core. There is a dark spot on each of the hind wings. The animals are very hairy. This is an adjustment to the moth's late flight time, which lasts until the end of November. In addition, the hair represents little protection against echolocation by bats , since the hair swallows part of the ultrasonic calls and the echo that is thrown back is weakened. The antennae of the males are strongly feathered. The antennae of the females are not feathered.

The caterpillars reach a length of up to 50 millimeters. The color varies between different shades of gray, brown and reddish brown. The caterpillars have two red dorsal warts in common on the penultimate abdominal segment (segment 12) despite the color variation. The caterpillars are hairless. The head is reddish brown and has a weak pattern. The structure of their skin also resembles the bark . Camouflaged in this way, the caterpillars can only be seen on the branches of their forage plants if you look closely.

Subspecies

  • Colotois pennaria pennaria (Linnaeus, 1761)
  • Colotois pennaria paupera Hausmann, endemic to Cyprus in 1995 .

Synonyms

  • Himera pennaria

Flight and caterpillar times

The nocturnal animals fly in one generation between September and November, the caterpillars can be found from May to July. The males start looking for a female shortly after dark and are often out and about until well after midnight . They are attracted to light. The females usually sit motionless and well camouflaged on tree trunks and wait for a male to arrive.

Larval development

The eggs are laid in groups on the branches of the forage plants in autumn and overwinter. The caterpillars hatch from these in May. The caterpillars of the spring feeler autumn moth feed on various deciduous trees and bushes . Forage plants for the caterpillars include maples , apples , birches , pears , beeches , chestnuts , oaks , ash trees , hornbeams , whitebeams , poplars , prunus , elms , snowball , willows , hawthorn and witch hazel . Due to the small number of individuals, the damage caused by eating is hardly significant. During the day, the caterpillars sit motionless on the branches of their forage plants and are not so easily perceived as prey by their predators because of their mimicry . They feed mainly at night and rest on the forage plant during the day. In July , the caterpillars pupate underground.

habitat

Since the caterpillars of the spring feeler autumn leaves feed on different deciduous trees, they can be found in habitats such as deciduous and mixed forests , parks and large gardens .

distribution

The species is distributed all over Europe and the Middle East , but is usually only found sporadically.

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ David J. Carter, Brian Hargreaves: Caterpillars and Butterflies of Europe and their Forage Plants. Blackwell Wissenschaftsverlag 1987, ISBN 3-826-38139-4
  2. ↑ Colotois pennaria pennaria (Linnaeus 1761). Fauna Europaea, accessed May 10, 2007 .
  3. ↑ Colotois pennaria paupera Hausmann 1995. Fauna Europaea, accessed on May 10, 2007 .
  4. ↑ a b c Manfred Koch , Wolfgang Heinicke: We determine butterflies. 3. Edition. Neumann, Radebeul 1991, ISBN 3-7402-0092-8 .

literature

  • Günter Ebert (ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 9 (Spanner (Geometridae) 2nd part), Nachtfalter VII. Ulmer Verlag Stuttgart 2003. ISBN 3-800-13279-6
  • David Abraham, Nils Ryrholm, Håkan Wittzell, Jeremy D. Holloway, Malcolm J. Scoble, Christer Löfstedt: Molecular Phylogeny of the Subfamilies in Geometridae (Geometroidea: Lepidoptera). In: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 20 (1), pp. 65-77, 2001

Web links

Commons : Federfühler-Herbstspanner  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files