Polymixis xanthomista
Blue-gray stone owl ( Polymixis xanthomista )
The Blue-gray stone owl ( Polymixis xanthomista ), also called rock Busch Halden - gray owls, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
- 6.1 Notes and references
- 6.2 Literature
Features
Butterfly
With a wingspan 37-44 mm are the moths of the medium sized owl butterflies. The females are much larger and darker than the males. The ground color of the fore wings varied in different shades of gray, ranging from white gray to blue gray to dark gray. Sometimes are orange colored Überstäubungen available. The main reason for the coloration of moths is the color of the background in each distribution area. The scattered orange scales serve as camouflage when resting on lichen covered with the same color stones or rocks. Kidney and ring stain are always created brighter and often provided with a small black dot in the center. The middle shade stands out dark. In the male specimens the hind wings are almost pure white, greyish brown in females.
Egg, caterpillar, pupa
The ruby egg has a hemispherical shape and is provided with corrugated ribs.
Younger caterpillars have a green color and show a whitish side stripes. In the adult animals prevails a brown color with slightly darker grain. The lower portion is slightly lighter and shows white stigmas.
The doll is brilliantly colored red-brown and has a fitted double-headed button-shaped cremaster.
Similar Species
With the Yellowish stone owl ( Polymixis flavicincta ) outweigh usually line-shaped, yellowish instead of orange, punctate Überstäubungen on the most paler and lower contrast forewings.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution of the nominate xanthomista ranging from North Africa to southern Europe and the western to the east to Romania, Hungary and Slovenia. In the Alps, they can still be found up to about 2000 meters altitude. The animals are mainly found in rocks rich areas such as scree slopes, quarries, vineyards and limestone slopes. In Britain, the ssp flies. statices.
Way of life
The moths are nocturnal and live from late August to mid-October. You like to visit artificial light sources. As forage plants of the Living May-August caterpillars a variety of different plant is called, for example, plantain ( Plantago ), Dandelion (Taraxacum ), mullein ( Verbascum ), sorrel ( Rumex ), or Geißblattarten ( Lonicera ) and black cherry ( Prunus padus ). The species overwinters as an egg.
Endangering
The Blue-gray stone owl lacking in many, especially the northern German states and is run on the red list of endangered species on the early warning list.
System
The species is very variable; but in Europe no further sub- types are specified with the exception of the population in England. In contrast, the characteristics in different populations in northwest Africa are stable, ie there are currently the following seven subspecies recognized:
- Polymixis xanthomista xanthomista ( Hübner, 1819), from North Africa through the western Southern Europe to Romania
- Polymixis xanthomista statices Gregson, 1869, UK
- Polymixis xanthomista lutea swing shot, 1963, Morocco
- Polymixis xanthomista hadenina addition, in 1972, Morocco
- Polymixis xanthomista rmadia approximation, 1967, Morocco
- Polymixis xanthomista meftouha approximation, 1967, Morocco
- Polymixis xanthomista chehebia addition, in 1972, Morocco