Herbal Monk

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Herbal Monk
Cucullia lucifuga.jpg

Herbal Monk ( Cucullia lucifuga )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Cuculliinae
Genre : Cucullia
Type : Herbal Monk
Scientific name
Cucullia lucifuga
( Denis & Schiffermüller , 1775)
Herbal Monk young caterpillar

The herb monk ( Cucullia lucifuga ), also called thistle monk or thistle gray monk , is a butterfly ( moth ) from the owl butterfly family (Noctuidae).

features

butterfly

The relatively large moths reach a wingspan of 38 to 55 millimeters and have a basic color that varies in different shades of gray. The fore wings are wider than many other Cucullia species. Cross lines and lines are often indistinct. The kidney flaw sometimes stands out a little more clearly from the background. A few small, black arrow marks can be seen on the hemline. The hind wings of the males have a white-gray basic color with clearly emphasized veins, in the female butterflies gray-brown tones predominate. The fringes are colored white. Characteristic of the species is a blackish stripe on the back that extends from the thorax to over the abdomen.

Caterpillar, pupa

Younger caterpillars are initially black in color and show yellow back and side stripes. Adult animals are characterized by striking red dotted stripes, which clearly distinguish them from other Cucullia species. In some ways they resemble the caterpillars of the Red Apollos ( Parnassius apollo ).

The red-brown doll has a spoon-shaped, hollowed-out cremaster and a long sheath.

Similar species

The moths of the lettuce monk ( Cucullia lactucae ) ( Denis & Schiffermüller , 1775), which is also relatively large and with slightly wider wings, differ in the lack of the blackish stripe on the back of the thorax over the abdomen. Also in this very similar species the fringes of the hind wings are brownish, whereas in lucifuga they are white. The ocher-colored spot on the forewings typical of the shadow monk ( Cucullia umbratica ) ( Linnaeus , 1758) is missing in lucifuga . From the following gray monk owls

differs lucifuga usually by the wider wings. However, the above-mentioned distinguishing features are minor, so that a genital morphological examination is advisable for a reliable determination.

Since the caterpillars of lucifuga are unmistakable, they can also be clearly assigned through breeding.

Occurrence and habitat

The species is widespread in Europe mainly in the middle regions of the hilly and mountainous country. In Asia it occurs across the temperate climatic zones to the Kuriles and Japan . It can also be found in Tibet and Armenia . In the Alps it rises to an altitude of 2000 meters, in other mountains up to 3500 meters. Different places come into question as living space, such as pastures, wasteland, slopes, scree areas, embankments as well as gardens and parks.

Way of life

The herbal monk forms one generation per year in the northern distribution areas, with the main flight time from May to June. In the southern, warmer regions, a second generation also flies in July and August, and sometimes an incomplete third generation in October. The nocturnal moths like to visit artificial light sources . The caterpillars are polyphagous on different types of plants. These include:

Preferred food is the buds, flowers and fruit clusters, and less often the leaves of the plants. During the day, the caterpillars sit freely and undisturbed on the forage plants. Obviously, because of their brightly colored warning colors, they are not attractive or deterring potential enemies. The species overwinters as a pupa.

Danger

The species occurs only in a few German federal states and is listed on the Red List of Endangered Species in Category 2 (endangered).

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Gábor Ronkay & László Ronkay: Cucullinae I . In: Michael Fibiger, Martin R. Honey, W. Gerald Tremevan (Eds.): Noctuidae Europaeae . tape 6 . Entomological Press, Sorø 1994, ISBN 87-89430-03-4 (English).
  2. ↑ a b c Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .
  3. ↑ a b Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg . 1st edition. tape 6 . Moth IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9 .
  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 6 . Moth IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9 .
  • Gábor Ronkay & László Ronkay: Cucullinae I . In: Michael Fibiger, Martin R. Honey, W. Gerald Tremevan (Eds.): Noctuidae Europaeae . tape 6 . Entomological Press, Sorø 1994, ISBN 87-89430-03-4 (English).

Web links

Commons : Herbal Monk ( Cucullia lucifuga )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files