Horseshoe clover

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Horseshoe clover
Hadula odontites.jpg

Horseshoe clover ( Hadula odontites )

Systematics
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Superfamily : Noctuoidea
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Hadeninae
Genre : Hadula
Type : Horseshoe clover
Scientific name
Hadula odontites
( Boisduval , 1829)

The horseshoe clover ( Hadula odontites ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae). The species was formerly known as Discestra microdon , Guenée or Discestra marmorosa , Borkhausen .

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 30 to 36 millimeters. The forewings vary in color, from light gray to black-gray to red-brown. In all specimens, the ring flaws stand out very brightly and circularly, while the dark kidney flaws hardly stand out. The short and wide cone blemishes are always colored black and form a contrast to the light field next to it. The whitish wavy line with a distinctive W-sign is striking. The black, inwardly directed arrow spots and the lightened post-disk region are also characteristic . The hind wings are gray-brown, the tint becoming darker towards the edge.

Caterpillar

The caterpillars are colored purple-gray and are characterized by conspicuous, broad, yellow side ridge lines and side stripes with rows of black spots next to them.

Geographical distribution and habitat

The species is distributed from the Iberian Peninsula through Central and Southern Europe. To the east it occurs as far as Ukraine . The southern distribution includes the Mediterranean area and Asia Minor, northern Iran , southern Russia and extends to Mongolia . In the Alps it rises to around 3000 meters. The horseshoe clover is mainly found on warm, calcareous slopes as well as on sunny grassland areas and steppe heaths.

Way of life

The moths are diurnal and twilight-active and like to suckle on various flowers, especially on thyme species ( Thymus ), Dost ( Origanum vulgare ) and horn clover ( Lotus corniculatus ). Occasionally they also appear in artificial light sources . The moths fly in two generations from April to June and July to September. Univoltine tribes also occur in the higher regions . The caterpillars feed primarily on the leaves of the horseshoe clover ( Hippocrepis comosa ). During the day they hide under stones.

Danger

In Germany, the horseshoe clover occurs in different numbers in the southern and central parts of the country and is classified in category 3 (endangered) on the Red List of Endangered Species .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hermann Hacker, László Ronkay, Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae I . In: Michael Fibiger, David Agassiz, Martin Honey (Eds.): Noctuidae Europaeae . tape 4 . Entomological Press, Sorø 2002, ISBN 87-89430-07-7 (English).
  2. ↑ 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 .
  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. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany . Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .

literature

  • 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 .
  • Hermann Hacker, László Ronkay, Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae I . In: Michael Fibiger, David Agassiz, Martin Honey (Eds.): Noctuidae Europaeae . tape 4 . Entomological Press, Sorø 2002, ISBN 87-89430-07-7 (English).

Web links

Commons : Horseshoe Clover  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files