Argynnis pandora
Cardinal ( Argynnis pandora )
The Cardinal ( Argynnis pandora ) is a butterfly ( butterfly ) of the family Nymphalidae ( Nymphalidae ). He is also known as Green pickhandle.
- 3.1 Flight times and caterpillars
- 4.1 Notes and references
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 64-80 millimeters. The wing tops are colored orange and bear a pattern of black spots. The front wing underside has a striking pink red discus. The females are sometimes colored brown instead of orange. The tops of the hind wings have a slightly greenish tinge, which is marked on the bottom. In addition, the surviving wing undersides of the females at the outer edge and about to the wing -thirds silver napkins. The binding near the wing root extends only to about the middle of the wing, the other extending over the entire wing. In the males, these napkins are only weakly indicated. The moth is similar to the imperial mantle ( Argynnis paphia ), but is by the other binding curve to distinguish the pink discus and the dull green color of the hind wings well.
Similar Species
- Imperial mantle, Argynnis paphia (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Eastern fritillary, Argynnis Laodice ( Pallas, 1771)
- Middle fritillary, Argynnis niobe (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Fiery fritillary, Argynnis adippe ( Denis & Schiffer Müller, 1775)
- Big fritillary, Argynnis aglaja (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
- Papilio pandora ( Denis & Schiffer Müller, 1775)
- Pandoriana pandora ( Denis & Schiffer Müller, 1775)
- Papilio maja ( Cramer, 1776)
- Pandoriana maja ( Cramer, 1776)
Occurrence
The Cardinal is found mainly in southern Europe and is not native to Germany. In Switzerland, the nature of the Valais between Martigny and Sierre and Ticino in Lugano and Cimalmotto is known. It is believed that this is immigration from the south. The Cardinal is also disseminated via the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the Mediterranean and the Middle East to North West India at altitudes up to 2600 meters. He settled among others lined with shrubs clearings in deciduous and open pine forests in which or near which a large supply nectar- rich plants of the genera Cirsium, Carduus or Centaurea is. Probably the most northerly proven Fund of the cardinal dates from waste (Baden ) by Max stand in 1893. The copy is kept in the State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe. In Austria, the species could be observed on the slopes of the eastern edge of the Alps during break - Wollersdorf Steinabrückl and in eastern Lower Austria.
Way of life
Among the food plants of the caterpillars include various species of the genus of violets ( Viola ), in Tenerife for example, the Teide Violet ( Viola cheiranthifolia ). Eggs are laid on plants wither, rarely on shaded by dense vegetation plants. The species overwinters as young caterpillar.
Flight times and caterpillars
The Cardinal is in most of Europe a generation in which flies from mid-May to early July. In North West Africa two generations can be observed per year, which are found from May to June and from August to end of September. In the Canary Islands for several generations arise from late May to mid-September.