Dry grass ground owl

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Dry grass ground owl
Dry grass ground owl (Epipsilia latens)

Dry grass ground owl ( Epipsilia latens )

Systematics
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Noctuinae
Tribe : Noctuini
Sub tribus : Noctuina
Genre : Epipsilia
Type : Dry grass ground owl
Scientific name
Epipsilia latens
( Huebner , 1809)

The dry grass ground owl ( Epipsilia latens ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae). The specific epithet is based on the Latin word latens (hidden) and refers to the hidden way of life of the caterpillars .

features

butterfly

The moths have a wingspan of 34 to 40 millimeters. The upper side of the forewing has a matt gray-brown to ash-gray basic color. Ring and kidney defects are indistinct. The inner and outer transverse lines are drawn twice, slightly washed out, colored dark brown and slightly serrated. The gray-white hind wings are slightly darkened towards the edge.

Caterpillar, pupa

Adult caterpillars are brown in color and have broad ocher-colored back and side back lines as well as wide side stripes of the same color. The red-brown doll has two thorns on the cremaster .

Similar species

The mountain meadow owl ( Epipsilia grisescens ) is very similar to the species , but the very prominent transverse lines are only drawn simply. In Epipsilia cervantes the wing markings are stronger and the basic color tends more towards brownish tones. The hind wings are whitish.

distribution and habitat

The dry grass ground owl occurs sporadically in mountainous or mountainous areas of northern Spain , in the middle and in the south of Central Europe and in the Apennines . To the east, the distribution extends to Turkey , Iran and the Caucasus . In the mountains it rises to an altitude of 2200 meters. It prefers to live on dry and semi-arid grasslands as well as on rocky grass slopes and stony meadows.

Subspecies

In addition to the nominate form Epipsilia latens latens , which occurs in central Europe , two other subspecies are known:

  • Epipsilia latens illuminata Turati , 1919, Apennines
  • Epipsilia latens hyrcana Staudinger , 1899, Turkey, Iran, Caucasus

Danger

The dry grass ground owl occurs mostly locally and sporadically in the southern German federal states and is listed on the Red List of Endangered Species in Category V (“on the warning list”).

Way of life

The species forms one generation per year, which flies between June and August. They are active during the day, at dusk and at night and occasionally visit flowers, artificial light sources and bait . The caterpillars feed on various low plants. They are nocturnal and hide in the grass or under stones during the day. The leaves and flowers of various lower plants serve as food, including: Sheep fescue ( Festuca ovina ), pinnate twinkles ( Brachypodium pinnatum ) and upright trespe ( Bromus erectus ). The caterpillars overwinter.

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Arnold Spuler: The Butterflies of Europe , Volume 1, Schweitzerbartsche Verlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, 1908
  2. ↑ a b c Michael Fibiger: Noctuidae Europaeae. Volume 2 Noctuinae II. 230 pp., Entomological Press, Sorø 1993 ISBN 87-89430-02-6 , pp. 18-22
  3. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany. Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .
  4. ^ Günter Ebert, Axel Steiner: The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg - Volume 7, Moth V (Owls (Noctuidae) 3rd part). Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998. ISBN 3-800-13500-0 , pp. 408-412

literature

  • Michael Fibiger: Noctuidae Europaeae. Volume 2 Noctuinae II. 230 pp., Entomological Press, Sorø 1993 ISBN 87-89430-02-6 , pp. 18-22
  • Günter Ebert, Axel Steiner: The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg - Volume 7, Moths V (Owls (Noctuidae) 3rd part). Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998. ISBN 3-800-13500-0 , pp. 408-412
  • Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 , pp. 26-27.
  • Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1972, DNB 760072930 , pp. 64-65.

Web links

Commons : Dry Grass Ground Owl  - Collection of Images, Videos, and Audio Files