Adscita geryon
Rockrose - Grünwidderchen in mating
The Rockrose - Grünwidderchen ( Adscita geryon ) is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of burnet ( Zygaenidae ).
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of about 20 millimeters. You have gold green glossy front wing, the tip is made blunt. They have a slightly bright, fringed hem. Their hind wings are dark gray. The antennae of the males are in contrast to the filamentary of the females strongly combed and have at the top a little thicker segments.
The caterpillars are about 12 mm long. You have on the back a light gray line, which is dark at the edges, in addition to this ever a broad, yellowish or white longitudinal line that is sharply demarcated dark to the side and on the sides a more reddish brown colored longitudinal binding. They have numerous, short, white hair.
Occurrence
The animals come in Southern and Central Europe, east to Turkey and in England before. They live in warm dry grasslands and alpine meadows up to an altitude of 2,400 meters. They are rare and in many places not occurring, but are uncommon in the Alps still common. The moths suck like to Handel Wurzen ( Gymnadenia ).
Way of life
Flight Times
The diurnal moths fly in one generation a year in July.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars have been found exclusively on yellow rock rose ( Helianthemum nummularium ), because they eat but in the breeding and blood red cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum ) and other cranesbill, it can be assumed that they are also found on these plants.
Development
The females lay their eggs in groups on the underside of the leaves of forage plants. Initially, the caterpillars live as leaf miners in the leaves, after the second moult they scrape the leaves off to finally eat the entire leaf later. They overwinter and pupate in the spring in a loose white cocoon.
Threats and conservation
- Red List BRD: 3 (endangered )