Aedia leucomelas
Aedia leucomelas
Aedia Leucomelas is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ). The species is distributed from western and southern Europe, central and eastern Asia to Australia.
- 6.1 Literature
- 6.2 Notes and references
Features
Butterfly
The moths have a wingspan of 38-40 millimeters. Head and thorax are light brown or dark brown mixed with a high Metathoraxkamm. The front wings are earth brown and irregularly interspersed with lighter and darker areas. The fine and indistinct transverse lines drawn are black jagged. The kidneys and ring toggling are also indistinct, framed white and lying in a slightly lighter disc Alfeld. The Saumfeld is swinging with outgoing from the shaft line V- shaped interneuralen projections. The fringes do not cancel from the coloring. The hind wings are white with a broad dark brown margin, apex and Tornus and the inner edge may be colored white. The fringes are the same color as the edge with white spots at the apex and near the Tornus. The undersides of the wings are strongly patterned with white Basalfeld and wide blackish edge. The forewings have a distinct crescent-shaped Diskalfleck.
Caterpillar
The adult caterpillars are up to 55 millimeters long. Your color is green to greenish gray with black dots. They have a broad yellow or orange-red dorsal line. The black dots may be concentrated along the line and can almost give the impression of a black shading, borders the back line. At the forward end of the body sitting on each segment per two large black dots close to the back line. In addition to the ridgelines have this color. The side strips are whitish and bounded above by a yellow-green zone. The head is relatively small and black dotted lines.
Doll
The squat doll has four hooks on the cremaster bristles.
Geographical distribution and habitat
Aedia Leucomelas occurs mainly in warm, dry, and sandy habitats. The range of the species extends from Western Europe, Central Europe and North Africa over the subtropical and tropical Asia as well as the East Indies to Australia. In Europe, the distribution extends to about in the Southern Alps. In Central and Northern Europe the species is absent
Way of life
The type flies into Europe in two, overlapping generations from May to October. The moths are nocturnal and come to light. The caterpillars feed on various types of fence winds ( Calystegia ) and the genus of the winches ( Convolvulus ). The caterpillar overwinters in a cocoon in which it pupates in the spring.
System
The species was described in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus as Phalaena Noctua Leucomelas first time scientifically. Later, the species was described under the following names: Catephia ramburii Boisduval, 1829, Noctua ADEPTA Geyer, 1832, Anophia olivescens Guenée, 1852 and Anophia limitaris Walker, 1863, which are so junior synonyms. The species is divided depending on the author in at least two subspecies:
- Aedia Leucomelas Leucomelas (Linnaeus, 1758) and
- Aedia Leucomelas acronyctoides ( Guenee, 1852) (Australia)
- Aedia Leucomelas Thomae ( Prout, 1927) (São Tomé )
- Aedia Leucomelas limitaris (Walker, 1864) ( Sarawak, Borneo)
Harmful effect
From Australia is reported that the caterpillars occasionally occur at the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas ) as pests.