Shadow monk

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Shadow monk
Shadow monk (Cucullia umbratica)

Shadow monk ( Cucullia umbratica )

Systematics
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Superfamily : Noctuoidea
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Cuculliinae
Genre : Cucullia
Type : Shadow monk
Scientific name
Cucullia umbratica
( Linnaeus , 1758)
Tense butterfly
Shadow Monk's Caterpillar

The shadow monk ( Cucullia umbratica ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the owl butterfly family (Noctuidae).

features

The shadow monk reaches a wingspan of about 42 to 52 millimeters. The forewings are ash gray, narrow and long and taper to a point in the apex . The outer edge of the forewings is almost straight. In the middle field there is a more or less clear ocher-colored smudge that distinguishes the shadow monk from other Cucullia species. In the fringe area there are very thin black, whitish-edged lines and a short, black arched line can be seen under the faded kidney flaw. The hemline is colored black and broken up into line spots. The hind wings of the males have a whitish basic color with dark veins, while the hind wings of the females are brownish and more or less lightened at the base.

The caterpillars are characterized by a black-brown marbled camouflage color that distinguishes them from other Cucullia species. The tips of the belly legs and the follower (last pair of legs) are whitish, the underside and legs are black.

Similar species

Geographical distribution and habitat

The shadow monk is found all over Europe with the exception of the southern Mediterranean area , where the species is either absent or only occurs in the mountains (southern Spain , southern Italy , Greece ). In the north, the distribution area extends to the Orkney Islands and central Fennoscandia . Outside of Europe, the shadow monk is widespread from the Middle East and the Caucasus to Eastern Siberia , Turkestan and Mongolia . Since 1998 the species has also been recorded near Havre-aux-Maisons, Magdalene Islands (Québec, Canada), where it was probably introduced.

It is a common and widespread moth. It mainly inhabits open land biotopes such as heaths , wastelands, meadows, forest edges, gardens, parks.

Way of life

The shadow monk forms a generation a year whose moths fly from mid-May to mid-August. The crepuscular and nocturnal moths are attracted to artificial light sources. The moths can be found resting during the day on fence posts, telegraph poles or other weathered wooden surfaces, where they are well camouflaged because of their color. They fly to different flowers at dusk and in the evening, including from

The caterpillars can be found from late June to September. A second generation in climatically favorable areas is discussed.

The caterpillars are nocturnal and hide under the leaves near the ground during the day. They feed on the following forage plants:

They pupate in the ground in autumn, with the pupae often overhanging for one to two years.

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Guide to the moths of Great Britain and Ireland. Ian Kimber, accessed December 15, 2006 .
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 6, Nachtfalter IV. Ulmer Verlag Stuttgart 1997 (Eulen (Noctuidae) 2nd part), ISBN 3-800-13482-9
  3. ↑ Louis Handfield1 and Daniel Handfield: Cucullia umbratica (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), a new European noctuid in North America. ZooKeys 39: 183-186, 2010 doi : 10.3897 / zookeys.39.426
  4. ↑ a b c d e f Bernard Skinner: Color Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles , Penguin UK 1999, ISBN 0-670-87978-9
  5. ↑ a b c d e f g h Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1972, DNB 760072930 .
  6. ↑ Portal for butterflies and caterpillars. Shadow monk, Cucullia umbratica. Walter Schön, accessed December 15, 2006 .

literature

  • Gábor Ronkay, Lázló Ronkay: Cuculliinae I. - Noctuidae Europaeae, Volume 6. , Sorø, 1994, ISBN 8-789-43003-4

Web links

Commons : Shadow Monk  - Album with pictures, videos and audio files