Hyles nicaea
Hyles Nicaea
Hyles Nicaea is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of moth ( Sphingidae ). The type is similar to the spurge hawkmoth ( Hyles euphorbiae ), but is close to the Bedstraw ( Hyles gallii ) related.
- 3.1 Flight times and caterpillars
- 3.2 food of the caterpillars
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
Butterfly
The moths reach a wingspan of 80 to 100 millimeters. They are very similar to the spurge hawkmoth and have approximately the same wing pattern: The front wings have a light tan color. A sharply demarcated, wedge-shaped, dark brown binding parallel to the outer edge covers a large part of the rear half of the wing, the outer edge is usually colored wide in the base color. The basic color is further covered by a larger brown spot at the wing roots and one to three further, more or less clearly recognizable smaller spots along the anterior margin. The hind wings have a central pink area is broad black margins. The wing root is black, the outer edge is ocher-brown, the inner edge there is a faded white spot, adjacent to the pink area. Unlike the spurge hawkmoth, however, the pattern of Hyles Nicaea is not very variable, only the colors vary in their strength. More rarely occur pale yellowish animals with only a poorly developed wing patterning or reddish colored individuals.
Egg
The oval eggs are 1.6 times 1.4 millimeters in size and have a smooth, pale green glossy surface. You see where the evening peacock eye ( Smerinthus ocellatus ) very similar. Shortly before hatching the eggs of color green to golden.
Caterpillar
The caterpillars are 100 to 120 millimeters long and are variably pale gray to black in their color. After hatching, the caterpillars are about five millimeters long and have a strong canary yellow color and a black brownish Analhorn. By feeding on the food plants, the animals soon become discolored apple green. These basic color is retained even in the second larval instar, added longitudinal rows of black spots. The Analhorn and also the belly turn black. In the third stage, the staining forms which retain most of the animals to the last. You now have a pale gray color with both sides of two longitudinal rows of black, yellow or red cored eye patch, which run along the sides of the back and sides of the body. The Analhorn remains black, a red back line is not formed. Occasionally, more or less completely black colored caterpillars with red eye-spot rows and yellow-brown spots on the sides of the body.
Doll
The doll is 45 to 50 mm long and has a yellowish-brown coloration with fine black lines in the field of antennae and legs. Pupation takes place in a loosely woven, yellow cocoon between dead leaves and plant debris.
Occurrence and distribution
The Nominatunterart Hyles Nicaea Nicaea is spread from the south of Portugal and Spain over Southern Europe to Turkey. They are also found in the Balearic Islands and in southwestern Bulgaria. The species is likely to be widespread in the south of France, which suggest observations near Carcassonne. However, the distribution of the species in the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands is in many parts probably not permanent, and delivers the kind there, though widespread, but only rarely. In Italy, the species was only once detected at the Passo del Cane in Liguria, Sardinia observations are not backed up.
Hyles Nicaea occurs with several subspecies, of which the subspecies castissima in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, the subspecies orientalis on the Southern Crimea and western Transcaucasia, the subspecies sheljuzkoi from Lebanon and northern Israel to the West of Xinjiang in China and the subspecies Lathyrus in eastern Afghanistan, northwest India and Xizang (Tibet) is common.
To the west of the circulation area is the presence of the species on the coastal regions, limited to a height of about 500 meters, to the east you will find the kind up to altitudes of 2000 to 3000 meters in Turkey and Iran even higher. The species is rare and only locally distributed and occurs in some areas, not on their distribution for years. They settled isolated, very sunny, well-drained limestone hills with scattered vegetation of Spurge.
Way of life
Unlike the other species of the genus Hyles Hyles has reminded Nicaea a very characteristic, rapid and powerful flight, which at the Oleander hawkmoth ( Daphnis nerii ). The moths can be attracted at night by artificial light sources.
The caterpillars are sitting on their food plants first at the midrib of the leaf. If they are larger, they eventually sit on the stems where they are well camouflaged. Hibernation takes place as a doll.
Flight times and caterpillars
The moths fly in one generation of Nominatunterart in June, occasionally occurs a partial second generation in August. The caterpillars can be found in July and August, a few even in September.
The subspecies castissima flies in two generations in May / June and late July to August. Your caterpillars occur from June to September. The subspecies orientalis flies in one generation in June and July, and in the north- west Transcaucasia only in June. The caterpillars can be found in July and August, isolated in September. The subspecies sheljuzkoi flies in two to three generations in May and July / August, and occasionally even in September.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on herbaceous species of spurge ( Euphorbia ), in the south of France from Nice spurge (Euphorbia nicaeensis ). Evidence to Leinkräutern ( Linaria ) are incorrect.
The subspecies orientalis eats in the Crimea on Euphorbia Euphorbia petrophila and seguieriana, the subspecies sheljuzkoi is demonstrated on various Euphorbia species in Jordan on Euphorbia oxydonta.