Ammoconia caecimacula
Grey-brown Frühherbsteule ( Ammoconia caecimacula ) ♂
The Grey-brown Frühherbsteule ( Ammoconia caecimacula ), also called Grey-brown Wollrückeneule, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
Butterfly
With a wingspan from 35 to 48 millimeters count the butterflies of the medium sized owl butterflies. The ground color of the fore wings varied only slightly from pale ocher to gray-brown. While the inner transverse line is distinctly patchy thickened in the middle and tinted reddish brown or dark brown, the outer transverse line appears double and indistinct. The wavy line are often shades inwardly directed seen dark. Kidney and ring stain are large, light gray filled and edged thin reddish brown. In the male specimens the hind wings are whitish, greyish brown in females. The body is hairy furry. The antennae of the males are ciliated short sawtooth.
Egg, caterpillar, pupa
The reddish gray egg has a spherical shape with a highly flattened base and is provided with corrugated ribs.
Younger caterpillars have a green color and show a yellow side stripes. In the adult animals prevails a brown color. Back, side back and side lines stand out brighter. The white spiracles are black lined.
The doll is colored dark maroon and has a stalk -shaped, provided with two strong spines, wrinkled cremaster.
Similar Species
The butterflies of Ammoconia senex outweigh gray color scheme. Also, they lack the thickening of the inner transverse line.
Distribution and habitat
The species is widespread in most of Europe, but lacking in southern Spain, the UK, Ireland and the northern half Fennoskandinaviens. It also occurs in Asia Minor, Northern Asia and Western Turkestan. In the east, the subspecies live transcaucasica and sibirica. The animals are mainly found in dry areas, such as warm slopes, skimmed lawns, vineyards, sunny slopes and sandy corridors.
Way of life
The moths are crepuscular and nocturnal and live from August to October, sometimes into November. You like to visit artificial light sources and bait. As food plants of the mainly living from April to June caterpillars a variety of lower plants is called, for example, White helleborine ( Cephalanthera damasonium ) and sorrel ( Rumex ), campion ( Silene ), broom ( Genista ), bedstraw ( Galium ) figwort ( Scophularia ) and dandelion species ( Taraxacum ). Preferred food of the caterpillars are the flowers and fruits of forage crops. Pupation takes place in a hole in the ground. Overwintering stage is the egg.
Endangering
The Grey-brown Frühherbsteule is not uncommon in most German federal states and is run on the Red List of Threatened Species as not at risk.