Cucullia argentea
Silver Monk ( Cucullia argentea )
The Silver Monk ( Cucullia argentea ) is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
- 6.1 Notes and references
- 6.2 Literature
Features
The Silver Monk reaches a wingspan of about 28 to 34 millimeters. The moths are unmistakable. The fore wings are narrow and greenish staining., There are striking and typical silver stains, which also gave the name of the species at the root, in the middle and at the hem. The silver stains are sometimes edged with black or cut. The hind wings are whitish, which turns into a shade of gray to the outside. At the top there is a hood -shaped, forward-facing tufts of hair. The caterpillars are dirty green with reddish-brown or dark purple drawing elements and dark warts on each segment. The back line is yellow and white punctuated by red-brown rings. Are rows yellow white spots on the sides. The spiracles are edged yellow and black. The head is mottled with brown and has a white forehead encompassed triangle. The bead can be easily confused with those of mugwort Monk ( Cucullia absinthii ), but is drawn more contrast. The doll is yellow-brown with greenish elytra.
Occurrence
The Silver Monk comes in Japan, China, by the climate temperate Asia to Europe before. In the north it is found in the south of Finland and Sweden and in Denmark, isolated in Germany, formerly in Thuringia, where the species now considered extinct, however. Further distribution areas are the western and southern parts of France, northern Italy, Lower Austria and Hungary. The species is mainly found on sandy soils, so on dry slopes and backrest, grass heaths and field margins.
Way of life
The caterpillars feed almost exclusively on field wormwood (Artemisia campestris ). They are nocturnal and pupate in the soil in the fall, where the dolls are often one to two years.
Flight times and caterpillars
The Silver Monk is a generation in which flies from early June to early August and is attracted by artificial light sources. The caterpillars can be found from August to September.
Synonyms
- Cucullia artemisiae, Denis & Schiffermueller. This is not about the field mugwort Monk ( Cucullia artemisiae ) with the same name, which was described by Hufnagel in 1766.
Endangering
In most of its distribution areas in Germany the silver monk is rare. He is out on the red list of endangered species in Category 2 ( high risk ).