Moonspot autumn owl

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Moonspot autumn owl
Red-brown color variant of the moonspot autumn owl (Omphaloscelis lunosa)

Red-brown color variant of the moonspot autumn owl ( Omphaloscelis lunosa )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Xyleninae
Genre : Omphaloscelis
Type : Moonspot autumn owl
Scientific name
Omphaloscelis lunosa
( Haworth , 1809)
Preparation of a light brown color variant

The moon-spot autumn owl ( Omphaloscelis lunosa ), sometimes also referred to as the western woolly thigh owl , is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterfly (Noctuidae).

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 30 to 38 millimeters. The color variability of the forewings is extremely large and shows red-brown, gray-brown, black-gray, light brown, ocher-yellow or green-yellow tones. The veins are mostly brightly pollinated. Ring and kidney flaws stand out clearly in mostly black color, cone flaws are not present. The transverse lines are double and lightly filled, the wavy line is often made up of black dots. Next to the apex there is a dark brown spot on the front edge. The milky white hind wings show two to three dark gray spots on the edge, which sometimes run into a band, as well as a crescent-shaped discal spot of the same color. The name of the species is derived from this feature ( Latin luna = moon) and makes it practically unmistakable.

egg

The egg is grayish-white in color and has many longitudinal ribs and a few red-brown spots.

Caterpillar

The caterpillars vary in color from brownish to reddish to greenish or yellowish and have light back lines, narrow yellow side stripes bordered in black towards the top, as well as black point warts and short dark bristles.

distribution and habitat

The occurrence of the species was documented in the 19th century from northwest Africa and southern Europe as well as from Great Britain , Belgium and the Netherlands . It reached Germany for the first time in the 1930s and has continued to spread ever since. The moonspot autumn owl can be found on both dry and moist grass and meadow landscapes.

Way of life

The nocturnal moths sometimes suckle on flowers and visit artificial light sources and bait . The main flight time for the univoltine moths is from August to November. The caterpillars live from late autumn, overwinter and pupate in July of the following year. They feed on different grasses.

Danger

The moonspot autumn owl is widespread in Germany in some, predominantly western regions and can also occur in large numbers in certain areas, so that it is classified there as “not endangered” on the Red List of Endangered Species . Since the species is still in a spreading phase, its degree of endangerment is regionally referred to as "unclear".

swell

literature

  • László Ronkay, José Luis Yela, Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae II. - Noctuidae Europaeae, Volume 5. , Sorø, 2001, ISBN 87-89430-06-9
  • Günter Ebert (Hrsg.): The Butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 6, Nachtfalter IV. Ulmer Verlag Stuttgart 1997 (Eulen (Noctuidae) 2nd part), ISBN 3-8001-3482-9
  • Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Manfred Koch : We identify butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1972, DNB 760072930 .
  2. ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe , Volume 1, E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart (E. Nägele), 1908
  3. ↑ a b Günter Ebert (Ed.): The Butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 6, Nachtfalter IV. Ulmer Verlag Stuttgart 1997 (Eulen (Noctuidae) 2nd part), ISBN 3-8001-3482-9
  4. ↑ László Ronkay, José Luis Yela, Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae II. - Noctuidae Europaeae, Volume 5. , Sorø, 2001, ISBN 87-89430-06-9
  5. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany. Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 978-3-896-24110-8

Web links

Commons : Moonspot Autumn Owl  - Collection of images, videos, and audio files