Catocala fulminea
Yellow Underwing (Catocala fulminea )
The Yellow Underwing (Catocala fulminea ) is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 44-52 millimeters. These are usually brown, but sometimes colored, yellow- gray or brown. The pattern of the forewings is very pronounced. The hind wings are colored yellow with two black bars. The caterpillar on the eighth segment bears a particularly long back pin. The located on both sides " fringes " are next to the bark -like staining of the better camouflage.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The yellow ribbon is distributed from northern Spain and central France to the Baltic Sea. The type is absent or rare in the southern Alps, Albania, Montenegro and Greece. In the east it is more common, however. The other area of distribution extends to the Black Sea, the Caucasus, to southern Siberia and the Pacific Ocean.
In Austria, the type is known from all provinces but proved very rare.
One finds this kind of hot, dry, sunny places such as slopes, clearings, forest edges, in valleys with many hedges, on tree-lined country roads and in ecological farmed orchards. Due to the very specific habitat demands this kind is becoming increasingly rare. Some populations are still to be found in the southeast of the temperate regions of Europe.
Way of life
The moth is found from late June to early August, and the caterpillars from late April to early June. They are among the earliest occurring in Catocala species. The caterpillars hatch when the first trees sprout from the overwintered eggs. Thus, the crawler begins by area sooner or later and ends as well sooner or later.
The caterpillars feed mainly on blackthorn, besides also hawthorn (Crataegus ), pear (Pyrus ) and oak (Quercus ) are called to a small extent. The slender caterpillars mimic small branches. Hold off on the lower part of the tree. Preference Stock shoots and bush -like trees. The moths drink means of their proboscis occasional tree saps and - like all ribbon types - are easily lured with a bait.