Craniophora ligustri
Privet moth ( Craniophora ligustri )
The privet moth ( Craniophora ligustri ), also Ligustereule is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
Features
The moths have a wingspan of 36-41 mm. There are three color variants. The first color variant has a black base color with a white- edged ring blemish, a white spot near the Vorderflügelapex and white bristle tufts of hair on the thorax and tegulae. The second color variant has a olivschwarze color with a gray spot on Vorderflügelapex, white edged ring stain and white bristle tuft of hair on the thorax and tegulae. The third color variant has an olive green color, with an olive-green spot on Vorderflügelapex and a schwarzumrandete ring blemish. The inner transverse line and the outer transverse line are black, wavy and each drawn twice. The indistinctly limited renal flaw is relatively large and outlined in black; except at the outer white border. The hind wings are dark gray, is towards to the terms slightly darker and has indistinct (inner and outer ) cross lines. Also the Diskalfleck is formed far from clear. The underside of the forewing is dark gray with spotted fringes. On the lower sides of the front and rear wings, the outer transverse line is relatively much each developed.
The egg is pale yellow brew with a spot on the top and a white base. It is strongly flattened with slightly aufgewölbtem edge. The surface is covered with strong longitudinal ribs.
Adults bead tapers both towards the front and towards the rear end slightly. It is colored green with relatively few, long, vertically projecting bristles. The bristles in the head facing forward. Younger stages are relatively more hairy and usually show four black spots on the back, as well as one other black dot on the side per segment. The head is greenish in adult caterpillar, immature stages have two elongated black dots on top of the head. The topline is relatively fine and whitish. In contrast, the addition ridge lines are significantly wider and held slightly yellowish. The spiracles are black in color.
The red-brown doll is relatively stocky with an umbilical cremaster, which has only a few thorn-like appendages.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The privet moth is distributed from western Europe through Central Europe to the Far East ( Russian Far East, northern China, Japan, Korea). In the north, the range extends to southern Scandinavia, the Baltic States and Central Russia ( about the height of St. Petersburg to the east ) and the Ukraine. In the Iberian Peninsula the species is, however, limited to the north. In the eastern Mediterranean, they reached northern Greece with smaller isolated occurrences in central Greece and the Peloponnese. In the east, the distribution area of pulls through Asia Minor, Israel and the Caucasus region. It also occurs in Cyprus.
The animals prefer to live in moister habitats of mixed forests with ash, to ligusterreichen forest edges and thickets from the plains to the highlands; in the Black Forest up to 1200 m.
Way of life
The privet moth usually forms two overlapping generations per year, flying their Falter May to September. These are nocturnal and fly to artificial light sources.
The caterpillars feed primarily on the leaves of olive family ( Oleaceae ), such as Ash (Fraxinus ), privet ( Ligustrum ) and lilac (Syringa ). But also on birch family ( Betulaceae ), hazelnut plants ( Corylaceae ), horse chestnut family ( Hippocastanoideae ), oil willow family ( Elaeagnaceae ) and Viburnaceae are the caterpillars encountered occasionally. They sit during the day free on the leaves of the food plant.
The caterpillar pupates in a gray-white, fine cocoon. The pupa overwinters.
Endangering
The privet moth is threatened only in the city state of Hamburg extinction, in Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania, it is classified as impaired, as well as in North Rhine -Westphalia. In Saarland they considered to be potentially at risk. In Lower Saxony it is already progressive habitat destruction as endangered. In the other provinces, it is not at risk. In the Red List of the Federal Republic of Germany, the privet moth is not performed.