Euxoa decora
Light gray Erdeule ( Euxoa decora )
The light gray Erdeule ( Euxoa decora ), also called Bluish Grey Erdeule, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
- 6.1 Notes and references
- 6.2 Literature
Features
The wingspan of the moth, depending on subspecies of 32 to 44 millimeters. The coloration of the fore wings varied in different shades of gray, from light gray to yellow -gray or blue-gray to dark gray. Ring and kidney stigma are often tinted yellow, but usually indistinct. Zapf blemishes are not recognizable. Transverse and wavy lines are obscured or even obliterated. The hind wings have a whitish-gray to gray-brown color, sometimes with dark bands in Saumfeld.
- Euxoa decora decora, 38 to 41 mm wingspan, ground color of the forewings ashen ring and kidney blemish not clear, whitish to yellowish, no PTO blemish, hemline weak
- Euxoa decora simulatrix ( Hübner, 1824), 36 to 40 mm wingspan, ground color of the fore wings dark gray, distinct transverse lines, blemishes and shadows means clearly
- Euxoa decora splendida ( Turati, 1912), 35 to 40 mm wingspan, wider front wings with rounded apex, ground color of forewing light gray with light brown admixtures
- Euxoa decora macedonica Thurner, 1936, 34 to 38 mm wingspan, transverse lines and blemishes blurred, barely trained, ground color of forewing gray with yellowish admixtures
- Euxoa decora olympica ( Tuleschkow, 1951), 32 to 38 mm wingspan, ground color of the fore wings dark, black dusted, weak development of cross lines, stigma yellowish
- Euxoa decora hackeri Fibiger & Moberg, 1990, 43-44 mm wingspan, ground color of the fore wings light gray, clear and blemish -trained cross lines, hind wings bright with a narrow, dark band in Saumfeld.
The egg is gray-brown without ribs on the surface.
The caterpillars have a yellowish-gray color, a dark dorsal line and dark circle warts. The relatively small head is yellow-brown. Head and pronotum are provided with black spots.
The pupa is light brown to reddish brown. It has two short spines on the tip cremaster.
Similar Species
Some also equipped with a gray ground color ways, for example Agrotis simplonia, Euxoa birivia, Rhyacia helvetina, the Ashen Erdeule ( Agrotis cinerea), the mountain meadows Bodeneule ( Epipsilia grisescens ), and Ashen Bodeneule ( Xestia ashworthii ssp. Candelarum ) are similar to the Hell Horror Erdeule. If the yellow stain are not clearly marked, specialists should be consulted for error-free determination.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The species occurs in mountains and mountainous areas of Northwest Africa (Algeria, Morocco), Southern Europe and the Middle East (Armenia, Turkey, Iraq, Iran). In the east the area of distribution extends to the Issyk- Kul. In the Alps, it rises up to 2000 meters altitude. Preferred habitat is rocky slopes, rocky lean lawns and vegetated scree slopes, some even above the tree line.
Way of life
The nocturnal moths fly from region to region from June to October in a generation. The moths of the subspecies E. (E. ) decora hackeri usually hold a summer break in July and August. They come to artificial light sources and visit the bait. The caterpillars feed mainly on the roots of various herbaceous plants and grasses, for example, of skipjack kidney vetch ( Anthyllis vulneraria ). They overwinter and pupate in June of the following year in a hole in the ground.
Endangering
In Germany, the mountain meadows Bodeneule is found in Bavaria, where they can also occur locally numerous. It is also to be found in Baden- Württemberg. The very variable moth of the Swabian Alb fit habitual both the ssp. decora, as well as to ssp. simulatrix and out there on the red list of endangered species on the early warning list.
System
The Mountain Meadows Bodeneule is divided into several subspecies with the following main areas of occurrence:
- Euxoa decora decora, the Nominatunterart in the Eastern Alps with adjoining eastern regions, the foothills of the Alps and northern Italy,
- Euxoa decora simulatrix ( Hübner, 1824), in the Western Alps and the Pyrenees,
- Euxoa decora, splendita ( Turati, 1912), in the Abruzzo
- Euxoa decora macedonica Thurner, 1936, in the mountains along the southeastern coast of the Adriatic Sea as well as in northwestern and southern Greece,
- Euxoa decora olympica ( Tuleschkow, 1951), in large parts of central Greece,
- Euxoa decora hackeri Fibiger & Moberg, 1990, at Falakron Mountains in north central Greece.