Bindweed mourning owl
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Bindweed-Sorrowful Owl ( Aedia funesta ) |
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| Aedia funesta | ||||||||||||
| ( Esper , 1786) |
The bindweed black owl ( Aedia funesta ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae).
features
The moths reach a wingspan of 34 to 36 millimeters. The drawing and coloring of the moths vary greatly within the species. The head and body are dark brown. The forewings are brown, dark brown to almost blackish brown with a large, semicircular white to pinkish spot on the front edge between the inner and outer transverse line; it is approximated to the outer transverse line. The two transverse lines are relatively narrow, black and slightly jagged. They stand out only a little from the basic color. In many specimens, the outer transverse line has a white or pink border (corresponding to the color of the front edge spot). The blemish is almost round and outlined in black. There is also a tenon flaw, but it is only partially framed in black and therefore very indistinct. The hem is colored like the base color, but the fringes are a little lighter on most of the specimens.
The hind wings are white with a very broad blackish-brown margin. The fringes are white with brown spots on the half facing the apex. The feature is somewhat variable; The other half of the fringes can also be significantly lighter than the black-brown edge. The underside of the hind wings is predominantly black, but very spotty. In the white field on the opposite side there is a larger, comma-shaped white spot. On the forewings, this spot sits in the disc or middle field.
The egg is hemispherical and light yellow; it turns bright red just before the egg caterpillar hatches. The outside is covered with 33 to 35 longitudinal ribs that almost reach the micropyl zone.
The caterpillar is relatively slender, light brown to brown-gray with black and orange spots. The belly legs are fully developed. The back line, the side back lines and the side stripes are light yellow; the latter is limited to the back by a series of larger points. The head is relatively small and covered with black dots.
The doll is relatively short and colored yellow-red. The rounded Kremaster has two short, hook-shaped bristles.
Similar species
The butterfly of the bindweed mourning owl is somewhat similar in color to the butterfly of the white ribbon ( Catephia alchymista ); especially the hind wings are very similarly colored and patterned. However, this butterfly lacks the conspicuous white to pink spot on the front edge of the middle field of the forewing.
Geographical occurrence and habitat
The distribution area of the species extends from northern Spain through southern and eastern France to Belgium, southern Germany, northeastern Germany, Poland, about at the height of Moscow across Russia to the Ural Mountains. It is absent in northwest Germany, Denmark and Scandinavia. In southern Europe the species occurs in a small, isolated occurrence in central Italy, then on the entire Balkan peninsula as far as Greece; across Asia Minor, the Caucasus region to Northern Iran. In Germany, the species prefers warm and dry garden and arable weed meadows in the settlement area, on which the common bindweed ( Calystegia sepium ) and the bindweed ( Convolvulus arvensis ) are found. Higher locations are avoided, at least in Central Europe; the species occurs only in the plain and the hill country. It is also absent in the Alps.
Way of life
The bindweed black owl forms two overlapping generations per year, the flight time of the moths extends from late May to August. The moths are mostly nocturnal and visit flowers. They are occasionally observed during the day and are attracted to artificial light sources. They can also be baited. The caterpillars can be found from July. They feed exclusively on real bindweed ( Calystegia sepium ) and field bindweed ( Convolvulus arvensis ). They are nocturnal and hide on the ground during the day. The second generation adult caterpillars overwinter in an earth cocoon and pupate in spring.
Taxonomy and nomenclature
The species was first scientifically described in 1786 by Eugen Johann Christoph Esper as Phalaena funesta ; it is the typical species of the genus Aedia Huebner, 1823. The type of the species came from Frankfurt am Main.
Hazard and protection
Because of its special habitat, the species is only distributed very locally; however, it is relatively common in these habitats. The species is therefore not considered endangered.
swell
literature
- Günter Ebert (Ed.): The Butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 5, Moths III (Sesiidae, Arctiidae, Noctuidae). Ulmer Verlag Stuttgart 1997. ISBN 3-800-13481-0
- Manfred Koch : We determine butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. Neumann, Leipzig / Radebeul 1972, DNB 760072930 .
- Barry Goater, Lázló Ronkay, Michael Fibiger: Catocalinae & Plusiinae. - Noctuidae Europaeae, Volume 10. , Sorø, 2003, ISBN 8-789-43008-5
Individual evidence
- ↑ In many text books only one generation is mentioned, or an incomplete second generation. However, according to Arno Scharnowski (in Ebert), this cannot explain the long flight time from the end of May to the end of August (or until September according to Forster & Wohlfahrt).
Web links
- www.lepiforum.de Taxonomy and photos
- Aedia funesta at Fauna Europaea
- Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa (English)