Reddish yellow autumn owl

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reddish yellow autumn owl
Reddish-yellow autumn owl (Sunira circellaris), reddish-brown color variant

Reddish- yellow autumn owl ( Sunira circellaris ),
reddish-brown color variant

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Xyleninae
Genre : Sunira
Type : Reddish yellow autumn owl
Scientific name
Sunira circellaris
( Hufnagel , 1766)

The reddish yellow autumn owl ( Sunira circellaris ), sometimes also called elm autumn owl , is a butterfly from the family of owl butterflies (Noctuidae). The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word circulus with the meaning "circle" and refers to the circular ring flaw on the upper side of the forewing. Due to the often reddish-brown color of the butterflies and their shape in the resting position, the species is referred to as The Brick in English usage .

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 34 to 44 millimeters. They are very variable in color. Yellow-brown, gray-brown or reddish-brown specimens appear. The dark brown transverse lines on the upper side of the forewing are strongly jagged. The wavy line is red on the inside. Ring and kidney defects are outlined in brown. The ring flaw is large and circular. Inside the kidney flaws, a small black spot stands out. The upper side of the hind wing is unmarked light gray, broadly colored ocher yellow on the inner edge .

Caterpillar

The caterpillars are gray-brown to red-brown in color. The back and side back lines stand out thinly and lightly. Strong, V-shaped black-brown spots on the back are striking. The head is light brown. The dark brown neck plate is traversed by three yellowish longitudinal lines, of which the middle one is the faintest.

Similar species

The color of the moths of the reddish autumn owl ( Agrochola helvola ) tends to be more reddish-brown. In addition, the small black spot within the kidney flaw is missing. The wavy line is also not drawn in red.

distribution and habitat

The distribution of the reddish-yellow autumn owl extends through the center of Europe to western Siberia . It is also found in Iceland as well as in Asia Minor and Kazakhstan, as well as Turkmenistan and Turkestan . In the Alps , it rises to around 1,600 meters. Habitat are forest edges, alluvial forests, bushy heaths, riverside and moor areas, forewoods, also urban areas as well as gardens and parklands.

Way of life

Male catkins of the sal willow, a food of caterpillars

The moths fly from early August to mid-November. They are nocturnal and appear on artificial light sources and baits . They have also been observed sucking on the blossoms of butterfly lilacs ( Buddleja davidii ). The species overwinters in the egg stage. The caterpillars live from April to June. Young caterpillars initially feed on the catkins and leaf buds of willow ( Salix ), elm ( Ulmus ) and poplar species ( Populus ), although there are considerable regional differences. In some areas, the Sal willow ( Salix caprea ) is preferred. Older caterpillars drop to the ground with the dead catkins and then feed on low plants. Breeding with dandelions has proven to be very successful. The pupation takes place in a cocoon in the soil.

Danger

The species is widespread in Germany, sometimes numerous, and is classified as “not endangered” on the Red List of Endangered Species .

Taxonomy

The genus Sunira was initially only understood as a subgenus of Agrochola in the Palearctic . In 2010, however, clear differences in the sexual organs led to Sunira being elevated to the status of a genus, which has been largely confirmed by experts.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe . tape 1 . E. Schweitzerbartsche Verlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1908, p. 249 .
  2. ↑ a b László Ronkay, José Luis Yela, Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae II. - Noctuidae Europaeae, Volume 5. , Sorø, 2001, ISBN 87-89430-06-9 , p. 99
  3. ^ A b Walter Forster, Theodor A. Wohlfahrt: The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 , p. 216
  4. ↑ Markku Savela: distribution. In: Lepidoptera and some other life forms. Accessed January 21, 2020 (English).
  5. ^ Karl Cleve: The butterflies of West Berlin , Berliner Naturschutzblätter, Volksbund Naturschutz e. V., Volume 21, No. 61, 1977, p. 307
  6. ↑ Manfred Koch: We identify butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. , Neumann Verlag, Leipzig / Radebeul 1972, pp. 152/153
  7. ↑ a b c Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg. 1st edition. Volume 6. Moths IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9 , pp. 435-438
  8. ↑ Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 4/1: Owls. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1954, pp. 542/543
  9. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany. , Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9
  10. ↑ Lepiforum eV - taxonomy and photos [1]
  11. ^ J. Donald Lafontaine, B. Christian Schmidt: Annotated check list of the Noctuoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera) of North America north of Mexico , ZooKeys 40, 2010, p. 151/152, doi : 10.3897 / zookeys.40.414
  12. ↑ Thomas J. Witt & László Ronkay: Noctuidae Europaeae Vol. 13, Lymantriinae and Arctiinae including phylogeny and check list of the quadrifid Noctuoidea of ​​Europe . Entomological Press, Sorø 2011, ISBN 978-87-89430-18-8 , p. 36.

literature

  • László Ronkay, José Luis Yela, Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae II. - Noctuidae Europaeae, Volume 5. , Sorø 2001, ISBN 87-89430-06-9 .
  • Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg. 1st edition. Volume 6. Moths IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, 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 .

Web links

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