Cilix glaucata
White Sichelflügler ( Cilix glaucata )
The White Sichelflügler, silver tensioner or the Silberspinnerchen ( Cilix glaucata ) is a butterfly of the family of Sichelflügler ( Drepanidae ).
- 3.1 Flight times and caterpillars
- 3.2 food of the caterpillars
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Description
The moths reach a wingspan of 18-22 millimeters, making them the smallest Sichelflügler in Central Europe. You have porcelain white wings, with a series of small gray spots along the forewing outer edge and the inner edge with a large dark brown spot, which turns out yellowish and gray to the center of the wing. Within this spot, there are few silvery scales. The animals as opposed to the other and no Sichelflüglern only rounded curved wing tips. If they sit in their rest position with roof-shaped prepared wings, they imitate their looks with bird droppings ( Vogelkotmimese ). Their antennae are only slightly combed.
In southern Europe, the distinction between the most closely related species is often only possible with the help of genitalmorphologischen features.
The caterpillars are about 12 mm long and are dark brown. Your breast is significantly thickened and stripped the abdomen end to a narrow tip.
Similar Species
- Cilix hispanica Pérez De Gregorio, Torruella, Miret, Casas & Figueras, 2002. Spain, southern France, Corsica, southern Italy, Algeria
- Cilix algirica Leraut, 2006. Morocco, Algeria, Portugal, presumably in Spain
- Cilix asiatica Bang -Haas, in 1907. Turkey to Iran
Occurrence
They come in Europe north prior to Ireland, Denmark and southern Sweden. They live in warm and sunny edges of forests, hillsides and hedgerows, on scrubby dry grasslands and heaths, but also in parks. They are often, especially in southern and central Germany.
Way of life
Flight times and caterpillars
The nocturnal moths fly in two generations from late April to early June and from July to mid-August. In favorable years, a third generation of the end of August can be formed by the end of September. The caterpillars from the eggs of the first generation can be found from August to September, the second from May to June of the following year.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed mainly of blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) and Eingriffeligem hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) but also of other shrubs of the rose family and Prunus species.
Development
The females lay their eggs singly on leaves from forage. The caterpillars are also active at night and lie on the day motionless on branches. They pupate in a brown cocoon, which is often woven between a leaf and branch. The generations who do not complete their development before winter overwinter as a pupa.