Two-string coniferous forest spanner
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Two-string coniferous forest spanner ( Hylaea fasciaria ) |
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| Hylaea fasciaria | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The two-string coniferous forest spanner ( Hylaea fasciaria ) is a butterfly ( moth ) from the spanner family (Geometridae). The butterfly comes in two different color variants, which are believed to be two different species.
features
The moths reach a wingspan of 32 to 39 millimeters. The Forma fasciaria has a rust-red wing base color, the Forma prasinaria has green-colored wings. Both have a slightly irregularly curved, thin transverse band on the forewings between the thirds, the middle field enclosed therein usually has a slightly darker basic color. In the rust-red form, the bandages are light-colored, in the green form, the color varies from light to beige to light brown. In addition, the front edge of the front wing is weakly colored in the same color in the green form, the outer edge of both pairs of wings is also fringed in this color. The hind wings are usually a little lighter in color and have a more or less clear, light transverse line in the second wing half. In addition to the two main forms, there are also color variants with a different formation of green and monochrome gray-brown colored butterflies.
The caterpillars have a light brown or brick red to blackish gray color without any noticeable markings. The caterpillars of the red form have a slimmer and more elongated body than those of the green form.
Occurrence
The animals come from the British Isles over temperate Europe east to the Altai and Sajan Mountains . In the north, the distribution extends to Lapland , the Kola and Sacha peninsula , the southern limit of distribution includes the northern Mediterranean , the Balkans and the Caucasus .
The green form is mainly found in shady and moist, middle-aged to old spruce forests in the mountains, whereas the red form prefers temperature - favored sand-pine stands in flat and hilly areas.
Way of life
The nocturnal adults rest on trunks and branches during the day. They can be attracted by artificial light. The caterpillars live solitary and prefer to sit on branches in the lower areas of the food plants. They overwinter half-grown.
Flight and caterpillar times
The moths fly in one generation from late May to late August. The caterpillars can be found from July and after wintering until June. A second generation also flies in warm areas, this being the red color variant.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars of the green form feed on Norway spruce ( Picea abies ), European larch ( Larix decidua ) and silver fir ( Abies alba ), while the rust-red form feeds on pines ( Pinus ). Only needles that grow in the shade are eaten. When rearing, the caterpillars of both forms can be fed with all of the plants mentioned here.
Hazard and protection
The species is widespread in Central Europe and is common and not endangered.
swell
literature
- Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 5/2: Spanner. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1955, DNB 450378411 .
- Günter Ebert (Hrsg.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg Volume 9 (Spanner (Geometridae) 2nd part), Nachtfalter VII. Ulmer Verlag 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 .
Web links
- Lepiforum e. V. Taxonomy and Photos
- Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa (English)
- Hylaea fasciaria at Fauna Europaea