Xestia Lorezi

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Xestia Lorezi
Xestia lorezi.jpg

Xestia Lorezi

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Noctuinae
Genre : Xestia
Type : Xestia Lorezi
Scientific name
Xestia Lorezi
( Staudinger , 1891)

Xestia lorezi , also known as the Alpine Gold Bandeule ,is a butterfly ( moth ) fromthe owl butterfly family (Noctuidae). The specific epithet honors the Swiss pharmacist and entomologist Carl Friedrich Lorez.

features

butterfly

The moths vary in color quite strongly, which is also expressed in the following subspecies :

  • With the nominate form ssp. lorezi with a wing span of 38-41 millimeters, the basic color is the front wings large area pale yellow, golden yellow or yellow-brown. Lines or blemishes hardly stand out.
  • The smaller and very differently colored ssp. kongsvoldensis has a wingspan of 33 to 37 millimeters and has a predominantly gray to gray-brown basic color on the front wings. Ring and kidney defects stand out more clearly. The midfield is somewhat darkened.

Egg, caterpillar

The egg is hemispherical, ribbed and bright yellow in color. Before hatching, it turns a dark purple color. The caterpillars have a light brown color, a white-yellow ventral side, a broad, interrupted white back line, narrow light side back lines and wider yellow-white side lines. A few dark brown triangular spots can be seen next to the back line.

Similar species

  • Xestia ochreago differs from the nominate form ssp. lorezi due to the more angular forewing shape and the more prominent lines and blemishes.
  • Xestia tecta is similar to the ssp. kongsvoldensis , but has an even darker midfield and usually a more reddish-brown tint.

Distribution and occurrence

The species occurs in northern Europe and in the Alps . Habitat of the ssp. lorezi are the Alps at altitudes between 1700 and 2500 meters. The ssp. kongsvoldensis is native to Fennoscandinavia and northern Russia . Outside of Europe, four other subspecies appear, namely ssp. sajana in the Sajan Mountains , ssp. katuna in the Altai Mountains , ssp. monotona in Yakutia as well as ssp. ogilviana in the Canadian Yukon Territory .

Way of life

The predominantly nocturnal moths fly in one generation a year from late June to August. During the day, they occasionally sit on the flower heads of Alpendost ( Adenostyles ) or Alpine thistle ( Cirsium spinosissimum ). They also visit artificial light sources as well as bait . The caterpillars feed on various low plants.

Danger

Xestia Lorezi is in Germany only in the Bavarian Alps before and is on the red list of threatened species run as a kind of geographical restriction.

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Michael Fibiger: Noctuinae II . In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae . 1st edition. tape 2 . Entomological Press, Sorø 1993, ISBN 87-89430-02-6 (English).
  2. ^ A b Walter Forster, Theodor A. Wohlfahrt: The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 .
  3. ↑ Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): Red List of Endangered Animals in Germany . Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster 1998, ISBN 3-89624-110-9 .

literature

Web links

Commons : Xestia lorezi  - collection of images, videos and audio files