Poplar mother

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Poplar mother
Poplar Hatchling (Gastropacha populifolia)

Poplar Hatchling ( Gastropacha populifolia )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Huckling (Lasiocampidae)
Subfamily : Lasiocampinae
Genre : Gastropacha
Type : Poplar mother
Scientific name
Gastropacha populifolia
( Denis & Schiffermüller , 1775)
above male, below female specimen

The female poplar ( Gastropacha populifolia ), also known as the large poplar mother , is a butterfly ( moth ) from the mother hen family (Lasiocampidae).

features

Imago

The sexes differ considerably in size and reach a wingspan of 45 to 55 millimeters for the males and 65 to 80 millimeters for the females. The moths have ash-gray to yellow-brown fore and hind wings, their body is covered with woolly hair. On the wings, the outer edges of which are wavy and serrated, some rows of dark spots can be seen. The drawing is indistinct and has less contrast to the basic wing color than the very similar copper hen ( Gastropacha quercifolia ). This is also darker and more red-brown or copper-brown in color. The antennae are combed short and moderately long in the male, somewhat shorter in the female. The palps are long and beak-like.

egg

The egg is gray-white and has a dark green ring. Before hatching, it turns dark red-brown.

Caterpillar

The caterpillars are 70 to 85 millimeters long and vary in color quite strongly. The adult caterpillars are reddish-gray to ash-gray or white-gray in color and have thin white-gray hairs. They are darkly speckled with lighter segment incisions. The head is brownish-gray to gray-brown. Their splendid mirrors are dark, the second ring incision is bluish black, the third orange. On the 11th segment of the body there is a hump with two warts.

Doll

The pupa is black-brown, densely white-pollinated and has red-brown segment incisions. It is brightly bristled.

Similar species

Occurrence

The distribution of the species extends from Europe over large parts of Russia and China to Japan . It is rare almost everywhere in Europe. The species is absent in Norway , Sweden , Great Britain , the Iberian Peninsula and in western France . It prefers mixed forests with poplars, avenues of poplar, alluvial forests and parklands.

Way of life

The moths are nocturnal, fly after dark and like to come to artificial light sources . In the resting position they sit on branches, whereby they are pushed forward under the forewings, as is typical for clucking, and both pairs of wings are placed roof-like over the body. The moths imitate the appearance of a dry leaf ( mimetic ).

The females lay the eggs in small groups on the stems of the food plants in June and July. Preference is given to older, gnarled trees in sunny and humid locations where the caterpillars live in the higher areas. The caterpillars hatch in August / September and overwinter as young caterpillars. They pupate in May or June of the following year. Pupation takes place in a grayish-white or yellowish web interspersed with dark hair on trunks or on low bushes.

Flight and caterpillar times

The moths fly in one generation from mid-June to July, in some regions a second incomplete generation is formed in August. The caterpillars can be found from August / September and after wintering until May or June of the following year.

Food of the caterpillars

The caterpillars prefer to feed on the leaves of poplars ( Populus ) and willows ( Salix ).

Hazard and protection

In Germany the poplar is on the Red List of Endangered Species as critically endangered (Category 1), in some federal states it is considered lost. Only in Baden-Württemberg is it classified under category 2 (highly endangered). In Austria, too, it is listed in the Red List of Endangered Species as critically endangered (Category 2).

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Walter Forster, Theodor A. Wohlfahrt: The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 3: Weirdos and Swarmers. (Bombyces and Sphinges). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1960, DNB 456642196 .
  2. a b Manfred Koch: We identify butterflies. Volume 2: Bears, Spinners, Swarmers and Drills in Germany. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Radebeul / Berlin 1964, DNB 452481929 , p. 86f.
  3. Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany. Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .
  4. Gastropacha populifolia. Butterflies-Deutschlands.de, Christian Tolasch, accessed on May 21, 2009 .
  5. ^ P. Huemer, E. Reichl, C. Wieser: Red list of the endangered large butterflies of Austria (Macro-Lepidoptera). In: J. Gepp (Ed.): Red lists of endangered animals in Austria. (= Green series of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Youth and Family. Volume 2). Styria, Graz 1994, pp. 215-264.

literature

  • Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 3: Weirdos and Swarmers. (Bombyces and Sphinges). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1960, DNB 456642196 .
  • Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 2: Bears, Spinners, Swarmers and Drills in Germany. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Radebeul / Berlin 1964, DNB 452481929 .
  • Hans-Josef Weidemann, Jochen Köhler: Moths, Spinners and Swarmers. Naturbuch-Verlag, Augsburg 1996, ISBN 3-89440-128-1 .

Web links

Commons : Pappelglucke  - album with pictures, videos and audio files