Serpentine tussock owl

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Serpentine tussock owl
Serpentine tufted owl (Lateroligia ophiogramma) (normal form)

Serpentine tufted owl ( Lateroligia ophiogramma ) (normal form)

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Xyleninae
Genre : Lateroligia
Type : Serpentine tussock owl
Scientific name
Lateroligia ophiogramma
( Esper , 1793)

The serpentine grass- tufted owl ( Lateroligia ophiogramma ), sometimes also called reed-grass owl , is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterfly (Noctuidae). In the literature, the species can sometimes be found under Apamea ophiogramma . The specific epithet is derived from the Greek words όφις and γραμμή with the meanings "snake" and "line" and refers to the meandering longitudinal line that separates the light and dark area on the upper side of the forewing.

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 27 to 35 millimeters. The color of the moths varies slightly. In the normal form, the basic color of the upper side of the forewing is yellow-brown. A large black-brown spot extends from the front edge through the disk region to just behind the cell , which is separated from the yellow-brown area by a meandering longitudinal line. The kidney defect is usually filled with light brown. Ring flaws and cross lines are indistinct. Sometimes specimens appear with a brown or lead-gray basic color. The upper side of the hind wing is unmarked gray-brown. A discal spot can be seen on the underside of the wing .

Caterpillar

The caterpillars are colored glassy yellow-gray and have some small black point warts. The head and vent shield are colored black-brown.

distribution and habitat

Water swaths, a host plant Caterpillars live in the stem of the reed grass
Water swaths, a host plant
Caterpillars live in the stem of the reed grass

The serpentine tussock owl is widespread in Europe and temperate Asia as far as Japan . The species was introduced to North America and was first detected in British Columbia in 1989 . Since then, it has spread over the southern Canadian provinces and the northern states of the USA. The main habitat of the species are the bank areas of rivers and lakes, coastal areas as well as moors, floodplains and wet meadows. In the Alps , the serpentine grass tufted owl rises to around 2000 meters.

Way of life

The moths are nocturnal and fly in one generation between June and August. They appear at night on artificial light sources and baits . The caterpillars live in the stalks of the food plants that they hollow from September. They overwinter and feed on various grasses until May of the following year, primarily swaths of water ( Glyceria maxima ) or reed grass ( Phalaris arundinacea ). The pupation takes place in a lightweight web at the bottom or close to the surface.

Danger

The serpentine grass tufted owl is widespread in Germany, abundant in some areas and is classified as "not endangered".

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 4/2: Owls. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1954, pp. 635-637
  2. ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe . tape 1 . E. Schweitzerbartsche Verlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1908, p. 180 .
  3. ^ Alberto Zilli, László Ronkay, Michael Fibiger: Apameini. In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae. 1st edition. Volume 8. Entomological Press, Sorø 2005, ISBN 87-89430-09-3 , pp. 157/158
  4. ↑ Markku Savela: distribution. In: Lepidoptera and some other life forms. Retrieved October 31, 2019 .
  5. ↑ BugGuide Iowa State University
  6. ↑ 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. 131
  7. ^ 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. 610-613

literature

  • Alberto Zilli, László Ronkay, Michael Fibiger: Apameini. In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae. 1st edition. Volume 8. Entomological Press, Sorø 2005, ISBN 87-89430-09-3
  • 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
  • Manfred Koch: We determine butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. , Neumann Verlag, Leipzig / Radebeul, 1972

Web links

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