Southern dwarf moth

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Southern dwarf moth
Southern dwarf moth (Idaea rusticata)

Southern dwarf moth ( Idaea rusticata )

Systematics
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Spanner (Geometridae)
Subfamily : Sterrhinae
Tribe : Sterrhini
Genre : Idaea
Type : Southern dwarf moth
Scientific name
Idaea rusticata
( Denis & Schiffermüller , 1775)

The southern dwarf tensioner ( Idaea rusticata ), also brown- banded hedge- back-small tensioner , brown-banded hedge-small tensioner , brown-banded hedge tensioner or brownish- white small tensioner is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the tensioners (Geometridae).

features

The moths have a wingspan of 14 to 20 millimeters; the second generation is much smaller and often has a wingspan of just 11 millimeters. The basic color is whitish, sometimes with a light brownish tone. The drawing consists of the dark brown to reddish brown central field on the front wing, which stretches between the inner and outer transverse line from the front to the rear edge. The boundaries of this field or the inner and outer transverse lines are wavy or also jagged and show z. T. larger bulges towards the outer edge. The outer and inner transverse lines are not parallel. The base of the front edge is darkened brown, often the entire inner root field is dark brown. The white wavy line is laid out in gray on the inside; the field between the wavy line and the hem is often irregularly darkened in gray. Some specimens have black points on the edges. On the hind wings the midfield is light gray, the transverse lines are dark gray. The wavy line is similar to that of the forewing. The black discal spots are always clearly pronounced. On the forewings they are mostly point-shaped and not particularly well seen in the dark central field, but they stand out all the more clearly on the light-colored hind wings, where they are usually formed as lines.

The egg is relatively small and oval. The caterpillar is comparatively short, becomes somewhat thinner towards the rear end and shows clear constrictions. It is gray-brown or brown and has a narrow, light back line. Occasionally there is an indistinct diamond mark on the last five segments. The ventral side is brightly colored. The head is comparatively small and colored black. The doll is light brown and has a shiny surface. The rear end is colored reddish.

Similar species

The southern dwarf moth is very similar to Idaea mustelata ( Gumppenberg , 1892) and is difficult to distinguish from this species. However, there is no proven overlap in the distribution areas, so that the two species can be reliably identified based on their location. Only in the French region of Languedoc-Roussillon do the distribution areas come very close. A narrow overlap zone would be conceivable here. In Idaea mustelata , the dark central field becomes narrower very quickly towards the inner edge of the forewing and forms a cone shortly before the inner edge, i.e. it ends before the actual inner edge. In the southern dwarf spanner, on the other hand, the midfield reaches the inner edge of the forewing in a considerable width. The forewing is somewhat wider in Idaea rusticata .

Geographical distribution and habitat

The southern dwarf moth occurs in Western Europe (France, southern England, Belgium, the Netherlands), in the southern Alps, Italy, Corsica , Sardinia , Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, in the southern part of Slovakia and large parts of the Balkan Peninsula. In Germany, the species occurs mainly in the west and south (Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia) and in some isolated occurrences in Bavaria, Thuringia and Brandenburg. In the Czech Republic, Poland and Belarus, too, the southern dwarf moth has so far only been detected in a few small areas. From the Balkan Peninsula the occurrence extends over the Ukraine, southern Russia, Asia Minor to the Caucasus region and from there over northern Iran , Afghanistan , Turkmenistan , Kyrgyzstan to the Central Asian mountains to Mongolia . There are also isolated occurrences in eastern Algeria and Israel .

The species is xerothermophilic, which means that it is restricted to dry and warm locations. It occurs on warm, sun-exposed roadsides, embankments, railway embankments, sand and gravel pits, dry lawns, abandoned fields and gardens, as well as on southern slopes of limestone quarries and bushy southern slopes. In Baden-Württemberg they were also caught near localities. In Central Europe it occurs from 0 to about 400 meters above sea level. In the Southern Alps and in Southern Europe, it rises up to 1200 meters. In Asia Minor and Central Asia, it usually occurs at an altitude of 700 to 2000 meters.

Phenology and way of life

The southern dwarf tension is usually univoltin , i.e. H. only one generation is formed each year. The moths fly from mid-June to mid-August, sometimes from the end of May. In southern Europe and occasionally in southern Germany, under favorable circumstances, a second generation can be formed whose moths fly from mid-July to early October. In breeding there was a cycle of over 60 days. The moths are nocturnal and are attracted to artificial light sources. You also come to the bait . During the day they sit on leaves, around compost heaps and on fences and do not allow themselves to be scared off. It is discussed in the literature whether the moths migrate over shorter distances.

The caterpillars live on withered or dry parts of the plant. In Baden-Württemberg, the caterpillars were found on fallen, dry leaves of young vines ( Parthenocissus sp.). In England, caterpillars have been found in the fallen leaves of the rock stone herb ( Alyssum saxatile ), and in Baden-Württemberg the distribution of the southern dwarf moth largely coincides with the locations of the gray cress ( Berteroa incana ), which is closely related to the rock stone herb . Therefore, this plant is also seen as a possible host plant. The following are also mentioned in the literature: Common ivy ( Hedera helix ), common clematis ( Clematis vitalba ), golden elm ( Ulmus carpinifolia ) and ragweeds ( Senecio ). Caterpillars have also been found among rubus and blackthorn ( Prunus spinosa ). The following plant species were fed in breeding: glass herbs ( Parietaria ), common groundwort ( Senecio vulgaris ), common lilac ( Syringa vulgaris ), common dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale ), clover ( Trifolium ), knotweed ( Polygonum aviculare ) and the petals of Anis ( Pimpinella anisum ). The caterpillars are relatively sluggish and overwinter. They pupate under leaf litter and moss. The hatching of a butterfly from moss was even observed directly.

Systematics

The species was first introduced into scientific literature in 1775 by Michael Denis and Johann Ignaz Schiffermüller . The name was in 1847 by Herrich-Schaffer to rusticaria emended . However, this correction was unjustified according to the IRZN, and rusticaria Herrich-Schäffer, 1847 is thus a more recent, objective synonym of rusticata Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775. Acidalia vulpinaria Herrich-Schäffer, 1852 and Idaea vulpinaria atrosignata Lempke, 1967 are two other synonyms of Idaea rusticata . The synonymy is also assumed for the names Phalaena humeralis Fourcroy, 1785 and Phalaena Gemetra humeralis Villers, 1789, the syntypes of which have not yet been re-examined.

Idaea vulpinaria Herrich-Schäffer, 1852 was until recently regarded by many authors as an independent species. As a difference to Idaea rusticata , the presence of two spurs on the hind legs was given. These are entirely absent in Idaea rusticata . However, it turns out that in the " vulpinaria " populations this characteristic is sometimes also missing. In contrast, spurs or spur-like anomalies also occur occasionally in typical " rusticata " populations. Forster and Wohlfahrt (1973) already suspected that Idaea rusticata and Idaea vulpinaria are one and the same species. Hausmann (2004) then formally combined the two "types".

Idaea mustelata (Gumppenberg, 1892) was originally described as a separate species. Later it was only regarded as a subspecies of the southern dwarf fish. Axel Hausmann reestablished this type of independence in 2004. The other, previously accepted subspecies Idaea vulpinaria atrosignata Lempke, in 1967, however, was reunited by Hausmann with the nominotypic taxon .

Danger

The endangerment of the species is difficult to assess due to its very limited distribution in Germany (e.g. in Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt). It is considered to be extinct in Bavaria as there was reliable evidence that it used to be at home in Bavaria. In Baden-Württemberg it is classified as endangered (category 2) and Rhineland-Palatinate as endangered (category 3). Only in Brandenburg are the occurrences not endangered. Here the species is classified in category 4 ("potentially endangered"), i. This means that further destruction of habitats could result in a hazard in the future.

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Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 5/1: Spanner. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1955, DNB 450378403 .
  2. ↑ a b Red Lists at science4you
  3. ↑ a b Ebert et al., Pp. 161-163

literature

  • Axel Hausmann: The Geometrid moths of Europe, 2nd Sterrhinae. In A. Hausmann (Ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe 2. Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2004, ISBN 87-88757-37-4
  • Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 5: Spanner. (Geometridae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-440-04951-5 .
  • Günter Ebert (Hrsg.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 8, Nachtfalter VI (Spanner (Geometridae) 1st part), Ulmer Verlag Stuttgart 2001. ISBN 3-800-13497-7

Web links

Commons : Southern Zwergspanner  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files