Toadflax flower moth

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Toadflax flower moth
Eupithecia linariata, Toadflax Pug, Dovey Junction, North Wales, July 2017 (35200767384) .jpg

Toadflax moth ( Eupithecia linariata )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Spanner (Geometridae)
Subfamily : Larentiinae
Genre : Moth ( Eupithecia )
Type : Toadflax flower moth
Scientific name
Eupithecia linariata
( Denis & Schiffermüller , 1775)
preparation
Illustration by John Curtis in British Entomology Volume 6 , (1824-1839)

The toadflax-Pug ( Eupithecia linariata ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the tensioner (Geometridae). The specific epithet refers to toadflax ( Linaria ), the food plant of the caterpillars.

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 14 to 23 millimeters. The basic color of the forewings is yellow-red and shows a broad blue-gray to black-brown central band bordered by white transverse lines, from which a dark, elongated discal spot can only be indistinctly distinguished. The wavy line is also white in color. There are large dark brown spots near the hem. Overall, the moths look very colorful. The hind wings are slightly lighter than the fore wings, have a lightened root field and show a small black central spot. The second segment of the abdomen is black-brown in color.

Caterpillar

Adult caterpillars are smooth and stocky. They are greenish, yellowish or ocher in color and show on each segment a clear gray-brown mark on the back consisting of jagged transverse bands or spots.

  • Greenish colored caterpillar

  • Ocher colored caterpillar

  • True toadflax, a host plant

Doll

The brownish doll is provided with greenish wing sheaths. There are two strong and six weaker hooked bristles on the cremaster .

Similar species

The red-thimble-floret ( Eupithecia pulchellata ) as well as the yellow-thimble-floret ( Eupithecia pyreneata ) are both drawn somewhat less contrasty. A genital morphological examination is helpful in most cases of flown specimens to determine the respective species . On the other hand, the differences are clear in the caterpillars, which in E. pulchellata and E. pyreneata have no or only very few drawing elements.

Distribution and occurrence

The distribution of the species extends through Europe including the British Isles to Russia as well as through Asia Minor and northern Iran to Tajikistan . The species primarily inhabits wastelands, roadsides, embankments, gardens and rubble sites and can even be found in the middle of urban areas. The occurrence in the Alps reaches up to heights of 1600 meters.

Way of life

The crepuscular and nocturnal moths fly in two overlapping generations from May to September, with the second generation only occurring regularly in the southern regions. Their pupae overwinter. At night the moths fly to artificial light sources and visit the flowers of umbels (Apiaceae) or daisy family (Asteraceae) to eat. The females lay the eggs in the bud cones or on immature fruits of the food plant. The caterpillars feed on the flowers and fruits of toadflax ( Linaria ), predominantly on common toadflax ( Linaria vulgaris ), sometimes also on striped toadflax ( Linaria repens ).

Danger

The toadflax moth is widespread and usually numerous in Germany and is classified as "not endangered" on the Red List of Endangered Species .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe , Volume 2, E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, 1910, p. 70
  2. ↑ Vladimir Mironov: The Geometrid Moths of the World . In: Axel Hausmann (Ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe . 1st edition. Volume 4: Larentiinae II. Perizomini and Eupitheciini . Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2003, ISBN 87-88757-40-4 (English). , Pp. 87-89
  3. ^ A b Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 5: Spanner. (Geometridae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-440-04951-5 , p. 147.
  4. ↑ a b c Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg. Volume 9. Moths VII. Geometridae 2nd part . 1st edition. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2003, ISBN 3-8001-3279-6 . , Pp. 119-122
  5. ^ Karl Cleve: The butterflies of West Berlin , Berliner Naturschutzblätter, Volksbund Naturschutz e. V., Volume 22, No. 63, 1978, p. 363
  6. ↑ Manfred Koch , Wolfgang Heinicke, Bernd Müller: We determine butterflies. Volume 4: Spanner. 2nd, improved and enlarged edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1976, DNB 780451570 , pp. 160-161.
  7. ↑ Endangerment

literature

  • Vladimir Mironov: The Geometrid Moths of the World . In: Axel Hausmann (Ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe . 1st edition. Volume 4: Larentiinae II. Perizomini and Eupitheciini . Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2003, ISBN 87-88757-40-4 (English).
  • Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg. Volume 9. Moths VII. Geometridae 2nd part . 1st edition. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2003, ISBN 3-8001-3279-6 .
  • Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 5/1: Spanner. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1955, DNB 450378403 .

Web links

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