Catocala nymphaea
Catocala nymphaea
Catocala Nymphaea is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
Features
The wingspan of the moth Catocala Nymphaea is 54 to 62 millimeters. The front wings are colored in different shades of brown, which makes them at roof-like folded wings hardly of the bark substrate on which they rest preferred to stand out. The species belongs to the middle-sized ribbon types. The similar species Catocala hymenaea, Catocala Catocala diversa nymphagoga and are much smaller. From about the same size Catocala Catocala conversa be Nymphaea distinguished by a yellow spot in the dark outer band of the hindwing. The also like Yellow Underwing (Catocala fulminea ) differs by a very strongly dentate transverse line of the front wing and a strongly curved inward dark average binder of the hind wings, which are bright yellow in all the above types. The caterpillars are yellow-brown. You have red brown spots, weak development of dark line and a similar topline and brownish yellow dot warts and stigmas.
Similar Species
- Yellow Underwing (Catocala fulminea )
- Catocala conversa
- Catocala hymenaea
- Catocala nymphagoga
- Catocala diversa
Geographical distribution and habitat
In Catocala Nymphaea is a in the Mediterranean and in South Eastern regions, such as Greece, Asia Minor, Afghanistan, Kashmir and North Africa widespread species whose northernmost occurrence is the area of Lake Garda. It prefers forests with oak stock. In Austria, they can occasionally be found in the south, such as in Hochgurgl in Tyrol and Carinthia. Beaches and moths fly in areas north of the Alps. The species occurs in Germany occasionally in Baden-Württemberg, Thuringia and Saxony as Irrgast.
Way of life
The moths fly in July and August. The caterpillars feed on the leaves of oak (Quercus ), in particular those of the holm oak (Quercus ilex). The moths drink means of their proboscis sometimes tree sap and can be lured with a bait.
Threats and conservation
In Carinthia, the species was added to the list of totally protected domestic animals.