Pheosia tremula
Poplar tooth Spinner ( Pheosia tremula )
The poplar - tooth spinner or aspen porcelain Spinner ( Pheosia tremula ) is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the tooth Spinner ( Notodontidae ).
- 5.1 Literature
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 46-56 millimeters. The females are, as so often larger than the males in butterflies. The name of this species comes from the porcelain -colored sheen of the wings. The porcelain Spinner is very similar to the Birch tooth Spinner ( Pheosia gnoma ), but this shows a white harlequin at the trailing edge of the forewing.
Similar Species
- Birch tooth Spinner ( Pheosia gnoma ) ( Fabricius, 1776)
Habitat
One finds the poplar - tooth spinner only where there are poplars, so in lowland forests, parks, mixed forests, bogs and flowing waters, as poplars require a lot of water. The distribution extend throughout Europe and in the north to the Arctic Circle. In the Alps you will find the animals up to a height of 1,600 meters. Through the planting of poplar monocultures occur more frequently in recent years outbreaks of this kind, which have until now but have never done a lot of damage.
Development
In favorable years, there are two generations. The nocturnal moths of the first generation can be found from late April to mid-June and the associated tracked from September to early October. The moths of the second generation fly from mid-July to mid-August and spend their life caterpillars from June to July. Both generations can move into each other. The caterpillars are smooth and yellow with a green or brown markings. For pupation the caterpillars by shaking dig into the soft ground.
Food of the caterpillars
Among the fodder crops mainly include the various species of poplar, but also the leaves of willows and birches are eaten.