Janthina gang
| Janthina gang | ||||||||||||
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Janthina Bandeule ( Noctua janthina ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Noctua janthina | ||||||||||||
| Denis & Schiffermüller , 1775 |
The Janthina Bandeule ( Noctua janthina ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae). The Janthina gang owl is one of three species of the Janthina species complex, although the independence of the species Noctua janthe and Noctua tertia has not yet been proven with certainty.
features
The moths have a wingspan of 36 to 44 millimeters; the males are on average 36 to 39 millimeters smaller than the females (39 to 44 millimeters). The basic color is usually brown with a violet-red tint or in the southeast of the distribution area also with a salmon-red tint (especially in the females). Ring and kidney defects have a white border. The underside of the forewing is black from the base of the wing to beyond the wavy line. The border area is light brown. The two fields meet perpendicularly at the Kosta, more rarely the black field ends in a serrated line across the veins.
On the underside of the forewing, the black middle field usually merges diffusely and without sharp delimitation into the lighter fringe field. On the hind wing the black border band is relatively wide. The inner edge of the bandage usually ends at an angle, only rarely almost at right angles to the front edge. Here the black scales can extend to the base. This can go so far that only a black-edged yellow spot remains.
The eggs are yellowish white.
The caterpillar is colored reddish gray to ocher yellow or greenish gray to light greenish gray. The light back line is relatively narrow. The back also has U to V-shaped back patches that open towards the back. The 12th segment is provided with thick, black wedge spots. The side stripes, which are also light, are sharply darkened towards the back. The relatively small head is brown and has black arched lines. The small, brown pronotum has a light center line.
The pupa is brown to red-brown in color. It has two thorns on the cremaster.
Similar species
The Janthe gang owl cannot be clearly distinguished from the Janthina gang owl with the help of features of the upper side of the wings. The black band on the upper side of the hind wings is usually narrower in N. janthe . The inner edge of the edge band meets the front edge almost at right angles in this species. From there, few or no black scales extend to the black scales of the wing base.
In adult caterpillars of Noctua janthina the U- to V-shaped drawing elements on the back are less clearly developed than in N. janthe . The younger caterpillars (L2 to L4) of N. janthina have no dark spots on the 3rd to 5th segment in the middle of the back, which are present in N. janthe caterpillars of the same stages.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The exact area of distribution is so far only insufficiently known. The species occurs in Central Europe from eastern and south-eastern France and a branch into the Iberian Peninsula , via Italy , the Alpine countries , the Balkan Peninsula , to the Ukraine and Belarus in the east, Denmark and southern Sweden in the north. There is a larger isolated occurrence in southern Russia. The distribution area extends from Turkey to the Caucasus and Iran, in the south to Israel. The species occurs up to an altitude of 2100 m above sea level.
Way of life
The Janthina Bandeule forms one generation a year, whose moths fly from late July to early September. The moths occasionally fly in the late afternoon. They are predominantly crepuscular and nocturnal and come to artificial light sources. They visit flowers and also get the bait . The eggs are laid on branches in regular clusters.
The caterpillars can generally be found from September. The adult caterpillars feed during the night, and during the day they rest hidden near the ground. During the night, like the caterpillars of other Noctua species, they often climb several meters high on saplings of trees (e.g. white poplar ) as well as on bushes and perennials. To be named:
- Silver poplar ( Populus alba )
- Great nettle ( Urtica dioica )
- Common spindle bush ( Euonymus europaea )
- Red honeysuckle ( Lonicera xylosteum )
- ? Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale )
The caterpillars overwinter and pupate in a cave in May of the following year.
Danger
The species is very common in Germany and not endangered.
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ Fibiger (1993: pp. 81–84)
- ↑ a b c Lepiforum
- ↑ Axel Steiner in Ebert (1998: p.)
- ↑ a b Forster & Wohlfahrt (1971: p. 36)
- ↑ VD Kravchenko, M. Fibiger, J. Mooser and GC Muller: The Noctuidae of Israel (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). SHILAP Revista de Lepidopterología, 34 (136): 353–370, Madrid, 2006 PDF ( 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.
- ↑ Naturkundliches Information System
- ↑ Red lists at Science4you
literature
- Axel Steiner and Günter Ebert: The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 7, Nachtfalter V (Owls (Noctuidae) 3rd part), Ulmer Verlag Stuttgart 1998. ISBN 3-8001-3500-0
- Michael Fibiger: Noctuidae Europaeae, Volume 2 Noctuinae II. Entomological Press, Sorø, 1993, ISBN 87-89430-02-6
- Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .
