Little virgin child

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Little virgin child
Little virgin child (Boudinotiana puella), male

Little virgin child ( Boudinotiana puella ), male

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Spanner (Geometridae)
Subfamily : Virgin children (Archiearinae)
Genre : Boudinotiana
Type : Little virgin child
Scientific name
Boudinotiana puella
( Esper , 1787)

The young virgin child ( Boudinotiana puella ), also to be found in the literature under the name Archiearis puella , is a butterfly ( moth ) from the Spanner family (Geometridae).

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the males is 29 to 34 millimeters, that of the females 27 to 30 millimeters. The forewings are predominantly light gray, gray-brown or yellow-gray in color and often show only indistinct drawing elements. An almost circular, large, dark discoidal spot can sometimes be seen. In females, the black inner transverse line is usually more intense. The nominate form Boudinotiana puella puella is characterized by dark brownish colored hind wings, which contain a narrow yellow field parallel to the front edge and a narrow, jagged, yellow transverse band. These drawing elements tend towards the ssp. Boudinotiana puella mediterranea more reddish. The antennae of the males are briefly double-combed, those of the females are thread-like.

Caterpillar

The caterpillars are greenish or reddish, have indistinct whitish side ridge lines and side stripes as well as white point warts.

Similar species

The species is similar to the middle virgin child ( Boudinotiana notha ), but shows extensive and bright orange areas on the hind wings. Due to the smaller size, the similarly colored ssp. Boudinotiana puella mediterranea .

Geographical distribution and habitat

The young virgin child can be found in isolated populations in Central Europe. The distribution area extends to southern Russia . In the German-speaking area, the species was detected in Lower Austria . The ssp. Boudinotiana puella mediterranea occurs in southwestern Bulgaria . The main habitat of the species are wetlands, such as floodplains and lake banks.

Way of life

The species forms one generation per year. The diurnal moths fly from February to April and are usually active in the sunshine in the first warm days of the year. The caterpillars live from May to June and feed on the leaves of poplar species ( Populus ), in particular quivering poplars ( Populus tremula ). The pupa hibernates.

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c Axel Hausmann: The Geometrid Moths of the World . In: Axel Hausmann (Ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe . 1st edition. Volume 1: Introduction. Achiearinae, Orthostixinae, Desmobathrinae, Alsophilinae, Geometrinae. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2001, ISBN 87-88757-37-4 (English).
  2. ↑ Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 5: Spanner. (Geometridae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-440-04951-5 .

literature

  • Axel Hausmann: The Geometrid Moths of the World . In: Axel Hausmann (Ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe . 1st edition. Volume 1: Introduction. Achiearinae, Orthostixinae, Desmobathrinae, Alsophilinae, Geometrinae. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2001, ISBN 87-88757-37-4 (English).

Web links

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