Hebrew Character
Gothica - Kätzcheneule ( Orthosia ( Semiophora ) gothica )
Called The Gothica - Kätzcheneule ( Orthosia gothica ), also Brownish Grey Frühlingseule, Gothic Grey Owl or Frühlingseule is ( Noctuidae ), a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms.
- 6.1 Literature
- 6.2 Notes and references
Features
Butterfly
The wingspan of the butterfly is 33 to 39 millimeters. The color spectrum of the forewing is very large, ranging from violet gray or purplish brown to brownish gray and yellowish gray. The deep black box that is starting encloses nearly rectangular from the inner edge of the ring kidney blemish blemish the most characteristic feature of the moths and resembles the Hebrew letter Well, why the type also bears the English name Hebrew Character and the Dutch name Nunvlinder. From the outside, bright -scale cross a line short black longitudinal line extending inwardly. The wavy line stands out whitish on the ground. Gray-brown without markings are the hind wings.
Egg, caterpillar, pupa
The hemispherical egg is colored gray and shows many longitudinal ribs. The center spot and the binding are dark red. The caterpillars have a yellow-green color, small yellow dots, thin white back - and side- back lines and very wide, white, sharply defined side stripes and whitish stigmata. The red-brown doll has two downwardly curved tips on cremaster.
Similar Species
Outwardly indistinguishable is Orthosia gothica of their East Asian sister Orthosia askoldensis. In this case, a genital examination is necessary for the safe provision.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The occurrence of the species extends from the Iberian peninsula by all the countries of Europe to East Asia including Japan. In the north, it is still to be found above the Arctic Circle. The southern area boundary runs through the northern Mediterranean through Asia Minor to the east. In the mountains it comes to over 2000 meters altitude before. The Gothica - Kätzcheneule is native to a wide variety of habitats. These include forest edges, clearings, moors, meadows and bushy cultural landscapes and settlements.
Way of life
The moths are crepuscular and nocturnal visit and artificial light sources as well as bait, prefer to food intake but blooming pussy willow. Even their very early flight time runs largely parallel to the willow blossom ( Salix) and accordingly comprises mainly the months of March to May. Some of the moths fly in February, even at low temperatures. The caterpillars live in May and June. They feed on the leaves of various plants, for example by
- Ear willow ( Salix aurita ),
- Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ),
- Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa),
- Red oak (Quercus rubra),
- Big nettle (Urtica dioica),
- Common Sorrel ( Rumex acetosa ),
- Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa),
- Real blackberries (Rubus fruticosus ),
- Roses (Rosa),
- Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
And others. Pupation takes place in a fixed hole in the ground, where the winter is done.
Endangering
The Gothica - Kätzcheneule is widely used in Germany and area- wise proliferates, so that it is classified in the Red List of Threatened Species as not at risk.
System
Orthosia gothica is divided into two subspecies:
- Orthosia gothica gothica, in the largest part of the range of the species
- Orthosia gothica jezoensis Matsumura, 1926, in the Russian Far East, Sakhalin, Kuril Islands and northern Japan.