Acronicta alni
Alder moth, f.typica up, down f.suffusa
The alder moth ( Acronicta alni ), also called Erleneule, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
Features
The moths reach a wingspan from 36 to 46 millimeters. Head and thorax are gray. The ventral part of the tegulae is black, the abdomen gray. The ground color varies from light gray to light brown or brown- gray. A black box runs along the inner edge and at the level of the middle shade even to the leading edge. There are also forms with almost completely darkened forewings ( f suffusa Tutt. ). Often a brown spot is distal to the renal field is present. Root line and Tornalstrich are also formed, and relatively long. In Subterminalfeld distal to the renal field is often a wedge-shaped spot available. Inner and outer transverse line are double drawn, but partially obscured by the black box. While the renal defect is practically not formed, the ring is framed around stigma and weak black. The hind wings are whitish, dusted black on the outer edge and at the apex. The underside of the forewings is dark gray, the underside of the hind wings white with a faint shadow agent and a Diskalfleck.
The egg is flattened - cone-shaped with an edge bead at the base of union. The surface is covered with weak, jagged longitudinal ribs. First, it is yellowish with large white spots and white base. It later turns red.
The caterpillar is black in the juvenile form in the front area and whitish at the end and looks like bird droppings. This similarity is a very effective protection against predators. The adult caterpillar is up to 35 mm long and is distinctive. It is in the color black with bright yellow cross bands, as well as single, long and club-shaped thickened bristles.
The relatively slim doll is reddish brown in color and shiny. The stem-like cremaster is studded with bristles.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The alder moth is distributed from the Iberian Peninsula, western France and the British Isles in the west through central Europe to the Far East ( Russian Far East, northern China, Japan, Korea). In the north of the area of distribution extends to the south of Scotland, southern Scandinavia, Southern Finland and across Karelia and Russia to the Urals. In the south, the species is restricted to the northern half of the Iberian Peninsula, the Apennine Peninsula ( to the north of Calabria ), the Balkan Peninsula to the south of Bulgaria, Asia Minor, the Caucasus region and southern Siberia.
The species occurs only sporadically in wet and moderately dry mixed and deciduous forests and their edges in damp river valleys, marsh and swamp forests before. But even in more open landscapes such as orchards, hedges and bushes as well as in gardens and parklands, the species is found.
Way of life
The alder moth is one generation per year, flying moths whose May-June, also in the mountains until July. Probably belong to the individual moths that fly in August and into September, an incomplete second generation. The moths are nocturnal and come to the bait as well as artificial light sources. The caterpillars are found from June to September. They are polyphagous and feed on the leaves of birch (Betula ), alder ( Alnus ), oak (Quercus ), poplar (Populus ), hornbeam (Carpinus ), hazel (Corylus ), elm (Ulmus ), flour berries ( Sorbus ), Prunus, apple (Malus ), pear (Pyrus ), hawthorn (Crataegus ), roses ( Rosa ) and maples ( Acer). Young caterpillars writhe in repose their front body as far as one that the head is next to the eighth segment, which is still brownish in color. They are similar in that posture bird droppings. The caterpillars pupate near the ground, often drilled into rotten wood. The pupae overwinter.
System
The species is often found in the older literature or in combination Apatele alni. It is used by Fibiger et al. (2009) found in the subgenus Jocheaera Hübner, 1820.
Endangering
The alder moth applies in the states of Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania and Lower Saxony as endangered.