Holoarctia cervini
The Matterhornbär ( Holoarctia cervini ) is a butterfly (moth ) from the subfamily of the tiger moths ( Arctiinae ).
Description
The moths reach a wingspan of about 30 millimeters. You have depending on the region a very different coloration and also drawing the wings. The front wings are bright yellow or ocher- yellow to orange and have a black or dark gray spot drawing. There are animals in which this drawing entirely missing, is present only in part, or is so severe that the yellow color is only visible as a network structure.
The eggs are round and light yellow.
The caterpillars are about 25 mm long. They are black and have a lemon yellow longitudinal stripes on its back. Her hair is arranged in long and very dense. They are black, gray only on the sides.
Occurrence
The animals belong to the endemic butterfly species in the central Alps. They occur only at very few locations in Austria, Switzerland and France 2600-3200 meters above sea level. They inhabit vegetated, rocky habitats, preferably those which are covered with slates.
This species was discovered in 1863 at the Gornergrat at the foot of the Matterhorn. It was not until 50 years later she was discovered outside the Valais Alps. They probably survived the ice age in ice-free regions of the Alps, on the glacier jutted ( nunataks ). Even if the ice has retreated again, only the Glazialrefugien of yesteryear are still inhabited. By having separate living and the strong color diversity of nature must be explained. Each of the scattered populations evolved independently of the other.
Way of life
The males are diurnal and fly in search of females which sit large stone slabs under about 20 centimeters.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on the leaves of various low- alpine plants such as alpine lady's mantle ( Alchemilla alpina), beach - plantain ( Plantago alpina). Under farming conditions, they also eat the ordinary dandelion (Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia ).
Course of development
Since in the high alpine areas of life, the vegetation period lasts only three to four months, the species requires two to three years to develop. The females lay their eggs in loose groups on the underside of stone slabs. The caterpillars are very insensitive to temperature. You must occur not only in the summer night frosts but also withstand high soil temperatures above 30 ° C due to the solar radiation, which heats the stones under which they live. However, the stones also help dissipate heat overnight. They pupate in a loose cocoon among stones.