Hadena caesia
Hadena caesia
Hadena caesia is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
Butterfly
The wingspan of the butterfly is 32 to 37 millimeters. The color of the forewings varies from blue gray to gray-brown and olive-gray to dark gray. Geographical influences are responsible for the color configuration. Occasionally, a few yellowish Überstäubungen are recognizable. Blemish and lines are indistinct and blurred. The midfield is slightly brighter. The hind wings are uniformly dark gray-brown.
Caterpillar
Adults caterpillars are reddish gray to gray-brown, showing an indistinct brown hash mark on the back, a bright line of the back, darker side ridge lines and black spot warts.
Similar Species
- Hadena clara distinguished by a yellowish spot, which significantly expands the midfield.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The species is distributed locally in Europe. The entire distribution area is divided island-like, which has led to the description of the following geographically isolated subspecies:
- Ssp. caesia ( Denis & Schiffer Müller, 1775) in the Alps,
- Ssp. abruzzensis ( Draudt, 1934) in the Apennine Mountains,
- Ssp. ostrogovichi ( Hacker, 1989) in the Carpathians,
- Ssp. Bulgarica ( Boursin, 1959) in Bulgaria,
- Ssp. xanthophoba ( Saddle Werda, 1922) on the Balkan Peninsula,
- Ssp. mananii ( Gregson, 1866) in the British Isles,
- Ssp. frigida ( Zetterstedt, 1839) in the southern part Fennoskandinaviens,
- Ssp. grisea ( Hospital, 1948) in the northern Spanish mountains,
- Ssp. revolcadorensis ( Calle, 1983) in the Spanish region of Murcia and
The animals are mostly found on rocky slopes and in meadows and rocky valleys. In the Alps, they rise up to 3000 meters altitude.
Way of life
The moths are mostly nocturnal, flying from June to August and visit artificial light sources. The caterpillars feed at the juvenile stage of the seed capsules of nodding campion ( Silene nutans ), pigeons goiter ( Silene vulgaris ) and other Silene species, later of their leaves. The species overwinters as a pupa.
Endangering
Hadena caesia occurs in Germany in the Bavarian Alps, where it is regionally often be encountered numerous. On the Red List of endangered species, the type is classified as not at risk. Older data from Baden- Württemberg are probably due to false positives.