Aglais californica
| Aglais californica | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aglais californica |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Aglais californica | ||||||||||||
| ( Boisduval , 1852) |
California Tortoiseshell is a butterfly ( butterfly ) from the family of Nymphalidae (Nymphalidae).
features
butterfly
The moths reach a wingspan of 32 to 70 millimeters. Both pairs of wings are jagged on the outer edge. They have a red-brown to orange base color on the upper side, which becomes darker towards the outside. There are also some dark spots on them. The wing edge is dark brown. The undersides of the wings are marbled in various dark brown tones and do not show any white or silver-colored drawing elements.
Egg, caterpillar, pupa
The eggs are yellow-green in color, have a cylindrical shape and are covered with vertical ribs. They are deposited in groups on the food plant.
Adult caterpillars show predominantly dark gray to black basic tints and are provided with yellowish spots and thin brown-yellow lines. White-yellow and black thorns are distributed over the entire body.
The falling doll has an ash gray, matt orange or almost black color, sometimes has a slightly bluish shimmer and has two distinct horns on the head and a pointed hump on the back.
Similar species
- The similar species Nymphalis vaualbum differs by white spots both on the fore and on the upper side of the hind wings and by a white, L-like mark on the underside of the hind wings.
- The eastern great fox ( Nymphalis xanthomelas ) and the great fox ( Nymphalis polychloros ) only occur in Europe, Asia or North Africa. Thus there is no overlap of the distribution areas to Nymphalis californica .
distribution and habitat
Nymphalis californica prefers to colonize the western states of the USA , especially California , which explains the name californica . As a migratory butterfly , the species sometimes also reaches areas further east or north. The animals are mainly found in wooded areas.
Way of life
The species usually develops one generation per year and hibernates as a butterfly. In California, however, three or more generations can occur per year. The main flight time is from May to July. If the moths are resting on the ground, they like to fold their wings upright. They then look like a withered leaf and are hard to see for predators. To absorb food, liquids and minerals, they suck on flowers, water points or dung. Younger caterpillars live gregariously, older ones individually. They don't hide in spooky nests. As food plants are ceanothus species ( Ceanothus ), especially Ceanothus thrysiflorus , Ceanothus interrimus , Ceanothus velutinus , Ceanothus cordulatus , Ceanothus fendleri , Ceanothus sanguineus and Ceanothus cuneate called.
Migratory behavior
Every year there is a considerable migratory behavior of the moths at irregular intervals. For example, in 1941 and 1973 a mass occurrence from the Santa Ana Mountains was reported together with the painted lady ( Vanessa cardui ).
Subspecies
The following subspecies are distinguished:
- Aglais californica californica
- Aglais californica herni
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ Butterflies and Moth of North America h http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Nymphalis-californica
- ↑ entomology.museums.ualberta.ca http://entomology.museums.ualberta.ca/searching_species_details.php?s=2653
- ↑ picture of the caterpillar at Bug Guide http://bugguide.net/node/view/526814/bgimage
- ↑ a b c d James A. Scott: The Butterflies of North America: A Natural History and Field Guide. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1986, ISBN 0-8047-2013-4 , p. 290
- ↑ Art Shapiro's Butterfly Site http://butterfly.ucdavis.edu/butterfly/Nymphalis/californica
- ↑ California Tortoiseshell Butterfly http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/lepidopt/nymph/tortoiseshell.htm
- ^ Encyclopedia of Life http://eol.org/pages/163693/overview
literature
- James A. Scott: The Butterflies of North America , Stanford University Press, Stanford CA., 1992, ISBN 0-8047-2013-4 , p. 290
Web links
- www.nic.funet.fi dissemination
Jean Baptiste Alphonse Dechauffour de Boisduval