Red-brown elm owl

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Red-brown elm owl
Cosmia affinis.jpg

Red-brown elm owl ( Cosmia affinis )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Xyleninae
Genre : Cosmia
Type : Red-brown elm owl
Scientific name
Cosmia affinis
( Linnaeus , 1767)

The red-brown elm owl ( Cosmia affinis ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the owl butterfly family (Noctuidae).

features

butterfly

The moths have a wingspan of 28 to 33 millimeters and predominantly dark red-brown to gray-brown colored forewings. But they can also show yellow-brown or blackish tints. The transverse lines, somewhat constricted towards the inner edge, end in two white spots at the costal edge . The fringing area is slightly brightened and contains a whitish spot near the apex . Ring and kidney defects often appear indistinct and are occasionally centered with black dots. The hind wings are noticeably dark gray-brown, almost black on the outer edge and have yellow fringes.

Egg, caterpillar, pupa

The egg is spherical in shape, has a strongly flattened base with strong longitudinal ribs in the upper two thirds and is greenish yellow in color. The caterpillars have a yellowish to green color and a white back line, white side stripes and occasionally irregularly distributed black spots and spots. The doll is red-brown in color and often shows bluish tires.

Similar species

  • White-spotted elm owl ( Cosmia diffinis ). Here, somewhat lighter red-brown colors predominate, ring and kidney defects are not recognizable. The white spots on the costal edge appear larger and brighter.
  • Cosmia confinis . This somewhat smaller Southeastern European species often has a paler reddish-brown or yellowish tending basic color, resembles more diffinis in drawingand also has lighter hind wings compared to affinis .
  • Purple- brown elm owl ( Cosmia pyralina ). In this species, the white spots at the costal margin are usually completely absent, only an elongated, bright, blurred sign near the wing tip is recognizable.

distribution

The species is locally distributed in central and southern Europe, north to northern England , Denmark , the southern part of Sweden to St. Petersburg . In the east, the occurrence extends through North and Central Asia to Japan . It is also found in northwest Africa . The red-brown elm owl lives mainly in warmer areas, bushy forest edges, stream valleys and alluvial forests, but also gardens and parks. It is common in Austria , but very rare.

Way of life

The moths are nocturnal, come to artificial light sources and bait and mostly fly from June to August. The caterpillars are preferably found on elms ( ulmus ) and here especially between spun leaves. Occasionally, however, they have also been found on oak ( Quercus ), linden ( Tilia ) or blackthorn ( Prunus spinosa ). They live from May to June and are considered murder caterpillars , i.e. In other words, they attack caterpillars of other species, and occasionally even conspecifics, and suck them up, both in nature, but especially when breeding in confined spaces. This behavior is also known, for example, from the caterpillars of the related trapezoid owl ( Cosmia trapezina ) and other Cosmia species. They pupate in a web between parts of plants on the ground. The egg hibernates.

Danger

The species is widespread in Germany , but rarely in some areas. It is classified in category 3 (endangered) on the Red List of Threatened Species .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Michael Fibiger and Hermann Hacker: Noctuidae Europaeae Volume 9 Amphipyrinae, Condicinae, Eriopinae, Xyleninae (part). Entomological Press, Sorø 2007, ISBN 87-89430-11-5 .
  2. ↑ Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .
  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. ↑ Günther Stangelmaier: Cosmia affinis L. new for Carinthia. In: Carinthia II. 175/95. Year, Klagenfurt 1985, p. ( PDF on ZOBODAT ).
  5. ↑ Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 4/2: Owls. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1954, DNB 450378381 .
  6. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany. Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .

literature

  • 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 .
  • Michael Fibiger, Hermann Hacker: Noctuidae Europaeae Volume 9 Amphipyrinae, Condicinae, Eriopinae, Xyleninae (part). Entomological Press, Sorø 2007, ISBN 87-89430-11-5 .

Web links

Commons : Red-Brown Elm Owl  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files