Plagodis dolabraria
Planing tensioner ( Plagodis dolabraria )
Called The planer clamp ( Plagodis dolabraria ), also oak welts tensioner, Black Speckled, strip clamps or fire welts tensioner ( Geometridae ), a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the tensioner.
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 28-33 millimeters ( 28 to 32 mm). Their wings are whitish to gray to yellow-brown and have a pattern with many, arranged in parallel, slightly curved, fine, dark bars. On the inside of the front wing is a small dark brown on the hind wings, a larger, purple -brown, strongly washed- visible spot. They form, together with the dark brown area on the abdomen end in the rest position of the wings a horizontal line. The abdomen is usually light yellow brown, you can see more, black dots on it and umgrenzend on the wings. The head is dark brown. Drawing and color of the wings varies little. The moths of the second generation are usually much smaller than the moths of the first generation. Due to the maser -like striations of the moths is unmistakable. Typical also is a shallow indentation on the outer edge of all four wings.
The eggs are greenish yellow and have a smooth surface.
The caterpillars are about 30 mm (40 mm ) long. They are dark brown in color and look like a small twig ( mimesis ). On the eighth segment they have a hump.
The red-brown doll is relatively slim. The cremaster shows two longer bristles and two lateral short bristles.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The species occurs from the Iberian Peninsula and the British Isles in the west, central and eastern Europe to East Asia before. In southern Europe the species is widespread in the Mediterranean islands on the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor. To the east the area extends across Siberia to Japan. In the north until well after Fennoscandia.
The animals live mainly in deciduous and mixed forests, but also occur in scrubby areas and gardens. They are widely used in Central Europe and frequently. In the uplands they rise up to 1,200 meters, in the Southern Alps, even up to 1,600 meters. The type is in the distribution area never common and also very local.
Way of life
The moths fly in one generation from late April to mid-July. In climatically warmer regions also an incomplete second generation flies from August to early September. In the south of its range two generations are formed regularly. The moths are nocturnal and come to light. During the day they rest mostly in the vegetation or trees, but can be easily startle. Occasionally, they even fly in the day. In Central Europe is also the caterpillars from June to July. The caterpillars eat the leaves of deciduous trees, especially oak (Quercus robur), beech ( Fagus sylvatica), small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata), willow ( Salix), elm (Ulmus ) and blackthorn (Prunus spinosa). Probably eat ie Rapen also plum and other fruit trees.
The caterpillars are active at night and rest on the day motionless, a little branch imitating. Make sure you get through a strand that goes from the head Zurm sheet. Pupation takes place in a loose cocoon on the ground or moss. The pupa overwinters, the butterfly emerging next spring.
Systematics and Taxonomy
The species was described by Linnaeus in 1767 for the first time scientifically.