Two-colored tussock owl

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Two-colored tussock owl
Apamea illyria (40406115944) .jpg

Two-colored tufted owl ( Apamea illyria )

Systematics
Class : Insects (Insecta)
Order : Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
Family : Owl butterfly (Noctuidae)
Subfamily : Xyleninae
Genre : Apamea
Type : Two-colored tussock owl
Scientific name
Apamea illyria
Freyer , 1846
preparation
Land riding grass, a food crop for caterpillars

The two-colored tussock owl ( Apamea illyria ), sometimes also called Illyrian forest grass owl , is a butterfly ( moth ) from the family of the owl butterflies (Noctuidae). The specific epithet says: "those from Illyria " and refers to an area of ​​occurrence.

features

butterfly

The wingspan of the moth is 31 to 37 millimeters. The basic color of the upper forewing varies from light brown to dark brown-gray. A black root welt as well as the kidney and ring flaws sometimes stand out indistinctly. The blemishes are partly yellowish or whitish. The midfield is heavily darkened. It is delimited by an inner and an outer, double-sided and whitish-filled transverse line. The upper side of the hind wing is monochrome light gray-brown and has a delicate C-shaped discoidal spot .

Caterpillar

Adult caterpillars are reddish, clay-yellow to yellow-brown in color. They show yellow-white back and side back lines as well as a light side stripe, from which the black spiracles stand out. The head capsule, pronotum and anus are brownish.

Similar species

The moths of the field meadow tufted owl ( Apamea anceps ) are on average larger and overall lighter in color. The glossy grass tufted owl ( Apamea unanimis ) differs by the constricted and mostly lighter middle field on the upper side of the forewing .

distribution and habitat

The distribution of the species extends through Europe and Asia Minor to the Caucasus and western Siberia . It first settled large parts of Central Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the Alps it rises to about 2000 meters. The two-colored tufted owl prefers to inhabit warm forest areas, bare areas, clearings, aisles, bushy slopes, meadow valleys and park landscapes.

Way of life

The moths are crepuscular and nocturnal. They fly in one generation from mid-May to mid-July. The moths visit artificial light sources and bait . They have also been observed sucking on barberries ( Berberis ) and flowering grasses. The caterpillars live mainly from July, overwinter and pupate in April of the following year. They feed on the stalks of various grasses , primarily land riding grass ( Calamagrostis epigejos ) or common ball grass ( Dactylis glomerata ). Before overwintering, they live predominantly in the flowers and fruit clusters, and from late autumn near the ground. The pupation takes place in a light gray-black cocoon on the ground between moss and plant parts.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Arno Bergmann: The large butterflies of Central Germany. Volume 4/2: Owls. Distribution, forms and communities. Urania-Verlag, Jena 1954, pp. 613-616
  2. ^ Arnold Spuler: The butterflies of Europe . tape 1 . E. Schweitzerbartsche Verlagbuchhandlung, Stuttgart 1908, p. 195 .
  3. ^ A b Alberto Zilli, László Ronkay, Michael Fibiger: Apameini. In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae. 1st edition. Volume 8. Entomological Press, Sorø 2005, ISBN 87-89430-09-3 , p. 127
  4. ↑ a b c Walter Forster, Theodor A. Wohlfahrt: The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5 , p. 130
  5. ↑ Markku Savela: distribution. In: Lepidoptera and some other life forms. Retrieved January 12, 2020 .
  6. ^ Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg. 1st edition. Volume 6. Moths IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9 , pp. 599-602
  7. ↑ Manfred Koch: We identify butterflies. Volume 3: Owls. 2nd, expanded edition. , Neumann Verlag, Leipzig / Radebeul, 1972, pp. 168/169

literature

  • Alberto Zilli, László Ronkay, Michael Fibiger: Apameini. In: WG Tremewan (Ed.): Noctuidae Europaeae. 1st edition. Volume 8. Entomological Press, Sorø 2005, ISBN 87-89430-09-3
  • Günter Ebert (Ed.): The butterflies of Baden-Württemberg. 1st edition. Volume 6. Moths IV. Noctuidae 2nd part. Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1997, ISBN 3-8001-3482-9
  • Walter Forster, Theodor A. Wohlfahrt: The butterflies of Central Europe. Volume 4: Owls. (Noctuidae). Franckh'sche Verlagshandlung, Stuttgart 1971, ISBN 3-440-03752-5

Web links

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