Batrachedra pinicolella
Batrachedra pinicolella is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of Batrachedridae.
- 4.1 Notes and references
Features
The moths reach a wingspan 9-13 mm. The head is yellow, this color is mixed in the middle of the head with gray. The antennae are yellowish brown and curled at the top know what is more pronounced in females than in males. The thorax shining yellow, and this yellow is strongly mixed with gray brown scales. The tegulae are yellow and have forward some brown scales. The forewings are yellow, especially on the costal edge and the inner edge of wing are dark brown scales scattered. At 1/ 3 the length of costal fold is a dark brown spot, a similar spot is in front of the wing tip. The fringe scales are gray, a gray- brown bar is located at 3/ 4 of the costal margin. The hind wings shining gray.
Similar Species
B. pinicolella is slightly smaller than Batrachedra parvulipunctella, has yellow forewings and a gray-brown line in the fringes of the costal margin, which extends to the wing tip.
Dissemination
The species occurs also in Europe and settled in the south mainly mountainous regions. In the east the area of distribution over the Caucasus and the south east of Siberia extends to the Russian Far.
Biology
The caterpillars feed on fir (Abies ), spruce (Picea ) and pine species (Pinus ). The species is univoltine. The caterpillars hatch in the spring and start at the needle base to nate. Later, they live in the branches resting spun tubes that are covered at the bottom with Kotkörnchen. Within this cocoon tube, the brown caterpillars bore into the center in the needles. Before pupation the caterpillars finished to a solid, spindle-shaped cocoon near the feeding place. This is fixed to a branch and a number of needles. The cocoon itself is covered with small cow shed and Kotkrümeln and so well camouflaged. The doll is slim and has long front wing sheaths. On abdome there is a group of curved spines. The caterpillars live from September to May The moths fly from mid- June to August, according to another source, from June to September. In the north of the Caucasus, the species is a pest of ornamental conifers.