Xestia rhaetica

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Xestia rhaetica
Xestia rhaetica.jpg

Xestia rhaetica

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Noctuinae
Genre : Xestia
Type : Xestia rhaetica
Scientific name
Xestia rhaetica
( Staudinger , 1871)

Xestia rhaetica , also called Swiss mountain forest earth owl , is a butterfly ( moth ) fromthe owl butterfly family (Noctuidae).

features

butterfly

The color of the forewings varies from light gray to dark brown. Ring and kidney defects are large and, like a black root line, are conspicuous. The hind wings are gray-white in color and show an indistinct central spot. Main features of the following subspecies are

  • a gray-brown to red-brown basic color of the forewings in the nominate form ssp. rhaetica , which has a wingspan of 38 to 45 millimeters as well
  • a darker, chocolate-brown color of the forewings in the ssp. norica .

Caterpillar

The caterpillars have a gray-brown color, a light topline, darkly bordered secondary back and side lines and blackish wedge spots in the rear. The spiracles are outlined in brownish yellow and black.

Similar species

It is very similar to Xestia sincera , which usually shows slightly smaller blemishes. In borderline cases, a genital morphological examination is advisable for a clear assignment. The gray-brown forms of the mountain forest ground owl ( Xestia speciosa ) also have comparable drawing elements, but their flaws are rounder and smaller.

Distribution and occurrence

The species occurs in northern Europe, in the central part of Fennoscandinavia , in northern Russia and further to Siberia . It is also native to the Tatra Mountains and the Bohemian Forest . In the Alps it lives at altitudes between 1000 and 2500 meters, but can also be found at sea level in Northern Europe. Another occurrence area are regions in the Nearctic . The main habitat of Xestia rhaetica are light spruce forests with blueberry cover.

Way of life

The predominantly nocturnal moths fly in one generation a year from July to August. You will visit flowers, artificial light sources and bait . The caterpillars can be found from August and overwinter, sometimes twice. They mainly feed on blueberries ( Vaccinium myrtillus ).

Danger

Xestia rhaetica is in Germany only in the Bavarian Alps regularly and is on the red list of threatened species run as a kind of geographical restriction. A single find was reported from the Thuringian Forest .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c 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. ↑ Roland KREUZER and Gerhard STIMPFL, report from the 4th Upper Styrian Entomologist Meeting (Lepidoptera), Joannea Zool. 1: 27-47 (1999)
  4. ↑ 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 rhaetica  - collection of images, videos and audio files