Syngrapha microgamma
Moor Gold Owl ( Syngrapha micro gamma)
The Moor - Gold Owl ( Syngrapha micro gamma ), formerly referred to as peat swamp syllable Owl, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
Butterfly
The moths of the Moor include Gold Owl with a wing span of 27-34 mm to the smaller members of the gold owls. On the fore wings reign gray dyeings, sometimes with a slight purple tint before. They show a characteristic silver-white characters, in the form of the letter gamma from the Greek alphabet. Gamma's character is strongly bulbous at the bottom and narrow and clearly divergent at the upper end. Ring and kidney blemish are boxed weak whitish, but taking nearly nothing from the underground. The lower midfield and the Saumfeld are black gray. The hind wings are yellow with a relatively wide black Saumbinde. The thorax is hairy and furry provided with some tufts of hair. The proboscis is well developed.
Caterpillar
Adults caterpillars are dark purple brown in color and show a slight whitish sheen. They have dark backs and secondary ridgelines, sulfur- yellow side stripes, black spiracles and a small bright red-brown head.
Doll
From the blackened doll is bright segment cuts take off.
Similar Species
- Hochenwarths Gold Owl ( Syngrapha hochenwarthi ) differs by a mostly brownish color on the front wings and a narrower black Saumbinde on the hind wings.
- Syngrapha devergens distinguished by a strongly serrated wavy line on the fore wings and a narrower black Saumbinde on the hind wings.
In both the above types, the narrow outlets in the upper part of the gamma - sign are closer together than in the bog - Gold Owl.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The nominate Syngrapha micro micro gamma gamma comes in humid regions in Northern, Eastern and Central Europe locally, but can at narrow places quite numerous occur. She is also represented in the mountainous regions of Central Asia and in Kamchatka. In Canada and the U.S., the ssp lives. Syngrapha micro gamma nearctica. Their distribution extends in an east-west direction in a broad belt of Labrador to British Columbia and up to Michigan, Wisconsin and Colorado in the south. Main habitat of the species are high moors, peat bogs and marshy meadows.
Way of life
The moths of the Moor - Gold Owl form one generation per year, the main flight period is in the months of May and June. They fly mainly during the day in the sunshine and suck like flowers to, for example on Labrador tea (Rhododendron tomentosum ) and rest on tree trunks or branches. At night they visit rarely artificial light sources. The caterpillars feed preferentially from the leaves of various willow ( Salix) and blueberry species ( Vaccinium ). They occur from July on, overwinter and pupate in the spring of the following year in a white- gray tissue.
Endangering
The species was found in some eastern regions of Germany in the 20th century, but there is now no longer at home and out on the red list of endangered species in Germany to be lost.