Quail wheat buds

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Quail wheat buds
Eupithecia plumbeolata.jpg

Quail Wheat Moth ( Eupithecia plumbeolata )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Spanner (Geometridae)
Subfamily : Larentiinae
Genre : Eupithecia
Type : Quail wheat buds
Scientific name
Eupithecia plumbeolata
( Haworth , 1809)

The quail wheat moth ( Eupithecia plumbeolata ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the flyworms (Geometridae).

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 12 to 20 millimeters. The basic color of all wings is predominantly gray-brown to lead gray. All wings are provided with several alternating light and dark transverse lines. These are less pronounced on the hind wings. Discal spots are not recognizable. The abdomen is gray to gray-brown.

egg

The oval egg is characterized by regular hexagonal depressions on the shell sculpture.

Caterpillar

Adult caterpillars are short and thick, dirty yellow in color and show reddish lateral stripes as well as dorsal and secondary dorsal lines that are also colored.

Doll

The segment incisions and the tip of the abdomen stand out in red from the yellowish pupa .

Similar species

  • The clematis ( Eupithecia haworthiata ) differs in its yellowish or reddish colored abdomen.
  • The valerian moth ( Eupithecia valerianata ) differs by a whitish spot on the inner corner of the forewings.
  • The willow moth ( Eupithecia tenuiata ) differs as well as the field maple moth ( Eupithecia inturbata ) by a discal spot on the front wings.

If the moths have flown away heavily and the external features are therefore unclear, a clear assignment is often difficult. In these cases, a genital morphological examination should be carried out for a reliable determination .

Geographical distribution and occurrence

The quail wheat moth occurs in almost all of Europe. The eastern expansion extends to Siberia with the Urals , Central Asia and the Altai and Sajan Mountains and the Amur region . In the Alps it can still be found at 2000 meters above sea ​​level , in the Pyrenees at 2400 meters above sea ​​level . In the Ukraine , Asia Minor , the Caucasus and Georgia , the ssp. E. lutosaria is native. The species prefers to live in light forests, forest edges as well as hedges and bushes.

Way of life

The moths are crepuscular and nocturnal. They fly from May to August. Mostly male moths also appear in artificial light sources . The majority of the caterpillars live from July to September and feed on the flowers of some quail wheat ( Melampyrum ) and rattling pot species ( Rhinanthus ). The pupae overwinter in a web between clods of earth, sometimes twice.

Danger

In Germany, the quail wheat moth occurs with different frequencies in all federal states and is listed as not endangered on the Red List of Endangered Species .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Vladimir Mironov: The Geometrid Moths of the World . In: Axel Hausmann (Ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe . 1st edition. Volume 4: Larentiinae II. Perizomini and Eupitheciini . Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2003, ISBN 87-88757-40-4 (English).
  2. ↑ a b c d Walter Forster , Theodor A. Wohlfahrt : The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 5: Spanner. (Geometridae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-440-04951-5 .
  3. ^ Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg. Volume 9. Moths VII. Geometridae 2nd part . 1st edition. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2003, ISBN 3-8001-3279-6 .
  4. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany . Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .

literature

  • Vladimir Mironov: The Geometrid Moths of the World . In: Axel Hausmann (Ed.): The Geometrid Moths of Europe . 1st edition. Volume 4: Larentiinae II. Perizomini and Eupitheciini . Apollo Books, Stenstrup 2003, ISBN 87-88757-40-4 (English).
  • Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg. Volume 9. Moths VII. Geometridae 2nd part . 1st edition. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2003, ISBN 3-8001-3279-6 .

Web links

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