Elm Harlequin
| Elm Harlequin | ||||||||||||
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Elm Harlequin ( Abraxas sylvata ) |
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| Abraxas sylvata | ||||||||||||
| ( Scopoli , 1763) |
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The Elm Harlequin or Elm Fleckenspanner ( Abraxas sylvata ) also known as grape cherry release , "bird droppings" or bird cherry-Harlequin called a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the tensioner (Geometridae).
features
butterfly
The elm harlequin reaches a wingspan of 32 to 45 millimeters (35–44 mm). It becomes up to 16 millimeters long. Both the fore and hind wings are white with gray, black, and yellow-brown spots. The abdomen (abdomen) is yellow with several rows of black dots. With the drawing of his wings he imitates bird droppings ( Vogelkotmimese ).
Egg, caterpillar and pupa
The egg is initially white: it later turns greenish yellow. The surface is covered with a polygonal mesh pattern. The rosette-like micropyle has eight to nine leaves.
The basic color of the caterpillar is white and tapering to ocher yellow at the ends, but it can also be yellowish-white spotted or just white, there are several color variations here. The entire length of the body is covered with black vertical stripes. The head and sternum have a black sheen. The adult caterpillar reaches a length of 29 mm.
The black-brown pupa is relatively short and fat. The segment incisions stand out a little lighter.
It is actually unmistakable due to its wing markings.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The elm harlequin is widespread from Spain and southern France across western and central Europe to east Asia. In the south, the distribution limit runs along the southern edge of the Alps , in the north, however, through central Fennoscandia .
The habitat of the elm harlequin is characterized by the presence of the two most important caterpillar forage plants common bird cherry ( Prunus padus ) and mountain elm ( Ulmus glabra ). These include wetlands such as floodplains, bank edges and swamp forests as well as sloping and ravine forests and narrow stream valleys in red beech forests .
Way of life
The elm harlequin flies in one generation from mid-May to late August. The maximum abundance will be reached in mid-July. Depending on the climatic conditions, the first moths can be observed as early as the beginning of May and until the beginning of September. The moths rarely fly during the day and only become active at dusk. They sit on trunks, twigs, and the top of leaves during the day. If the butterfly is disturbed despite its camouflage ( bird droppings ), dead spots can be observed as a defense behavior, whereby the yellow abdomen with several black rows of dots indicates that it is inedible.
The caterpillars can be found from July to September (or October). They feed on the leaves of various deciduous trees, such as mountain elm ( Ulmus glabra ), common bird cherry ( Prunus padus ), bird cherry ( Prunus avium ), common beech ( Fagus sylvatica ), birch ( Betula spec.), Hazel ( Corylus avellana ), woolly snowball ( Viburnum lantana ). Pupation takes place in the ground in autumn. The species overwinters as a pupa.
Hazard and harmful effects
The elm harlequin is generally not endangered in Germany. However, the species is listed as critically endangered in Hamburg and endangered in Lower Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate. Occasionally, even mass reproductions are observed, which can lead to defoliation on the host plants.
Systematics and taxonomy
The species was first scientifically described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1763 as Phalaena sylvata . In the older literature the species also appears in the combination Calospilos sylvata . The type species of Calospilos Hübner, 1825, is Phalaena ulmata , a younger subjective synonym of Phalaena sylvata Scopoli, 1763. In the more recent works, Calospilos Hübner, 1825 is seen either as a younger synonym of Abraxas Leach, 1815, or as a subgenus of Abraxas . There are currently two subspecies:
- Abraxas sylvata sylvata , the nominotypical subspecies, in the greater part of the range
- Abraxas sylvata microtate Wehrli, 1931, Japan
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Red Lists at Science4you
- ↑ Leraut (2009: p. 61)
- ↑ UK moths - website of Ian Kimber
- ↑ a b Forster & Wohlfahrt (1971: p. 199)
- ↑ Carter & Hargraves (1987: p. 95)
- ↑ a b Ebert (2001: pp. 299–302)
- ^ Karl Eckstein: The butterflies of Germany, 4th volume, The tensioners and the bear-like butterflies. KG Lutz Verlag, Stuttgart, 1923 (p. 39)
- ↑ Joannes Antonius Scopoli: Entomologia Carniolica: exhibens insecta Carnioliae indigena et distributa in ordines, genera, species, varietates: methodo linnaeana. 420 p., Vienna, Johannes Thomas Trattner, 1763 Online at biodiversitylibrary.org (p. 220)
- ↑ Japanese Moths
literature
- Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 5/1: Spanner. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1955, DNB 450378403 .
- David J. Carter, Brian Hargreaves: Caterpillars and Butterflies of Europe and their Forage Plants. Paul Paray, Hamburg and Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-490-13918-6
- Günter Ebert (Eds.), Daniel Bartsch, Armin Becher & Stefan Hafner: The Butterflies of Baden-Württemberg, Volume 9, Moths VII. Ulmer, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-8001-3279-6
- Manfred Koch , Wolfgang Heinicke, Bernd Müller: We determine butterflies. Volume 4: Spanner. 2nd, improved and enlarged edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1976, DNB 780451570 , pp. 190-191.
- Patrice Leraut: Moths of Europe. Volume II. Geometrid moths. NAP Editions 2009, ISBN 978-2-913688-09-4
- Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 5: Spanner. (Geometridae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-440-04951-5 .
