Idaea dimidiata
Brown Angled dwarf tensioner ( idaea dimidiata )
The Braungewinkelte dwarf tensioner ( idaea dimidiata ), also known as Black Dotted small tensioner, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the tensioner ( Geometridae ). He is one of the species-rich genus in Europe idaea and is counted within these to subsericeata - type group.
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 15-20 millimeters. The wings have a brownish yellow, brownish white to slightly reddish white color. The drawing elements are dark gray to dark brown. The middle shade and the two transverse lines may be incompletely formed or broken. They are marked on the front wing at the front edge by so-called Kostal stains. In Saumfeld is a bright shaft line that is bounded on both sides, especially towards the inner edge down by dark spots. The front and rear wings have black Diskalflecke that are sometimes drawn much weaker on the forewing. The Saumflecke are also usually marked clearly and sometimes joined by a thin line.
The color appears to be somewhat dependent on temperature. Farms under higher temperature resulted moth with a slightly reddish tone. Butterfly with pink wings easily occur mainly in Sardinia. Here this feature is to be but a recessive trait. Populations in Sicily are brightly colored and Saumflecke elapse each other.
The elongated egg is truncated at one end; the surface covered with fine pits. It is initially whitish with brown speckles and turns later reddish.
The caterpillars reach a length of about 20 millimeters and are short bristles. You have transverse grooves are pale brown in color and provided with a converging backwards double blackish dorsal line. Is a series of oblique lines that are occasionally shape of an arrowhead on both sides of the back. The spiracles are located on a white line under the is to find a set of black drawings. The tracked head is notched gray and light.
The pupa is yellowish with a gloss finish. The rear end is a bit darker.
Similar Species
- Idaea belemiata ( Millière, 1868) South-West Europe.
- Idaea palaestinensis ( Sterneck, 1933) Greece, Cyprus, Crete
- Idaea elongaria ( Rambur, 1833) South and South-East Europe.
Geographical distribution
The Braungewinkelte dwarf clamper is in the Western Palearctic and in North America. In Western, Southern and Central Europe, the species is widespread. In the north, the range extends into southern Scandinavia and in the east to the Urals. Idaea dimidiata can be found on almost all the Mediterranean islands.
Outside Europe the way in Morocco and from northwestern Turkey, the Caucasus and Transcaucasia over northern Iran is spread to Afghanistan and Central Asia. In Cyprus, south of Turkey and the Levant, the Nominatunterart idaea dimidiata dimidiata replaced by the subspecies idaea dimidiata antitaurica, which is also found in Canada and the northern most areas of the United States.
Habitat
The Braungewinkelte dwarf tensioner is mesophilic to hygrophile type described in Central Europe as silvicolous ( forest-dependent ). He settled moist forests as soft and moist riparian hardwood and mixed beech forests. Furthermore, the species was found in stream and river valleys in the source areas and bogs. To the east of its range of Braungewinkelte dwarf tensioner lives xerophilic and often colonized dry steppe habitats. North of the Alps it is found from the plains at altitudes of about 700 meters in the Alps and in Southern Europe, it reaches up to 1,200 meters and in Turkey and Afghanistan, he rises up to 2,000 meters. In cultivated land it is found in gardens and orchards.
Phenology and life
The Braungewinkelte dwarf tensioner normally forms two generations per year, which can be found from late May to late September. Under favorable conditions (Southern Europe, the Levante ) occur from May to October, three generations and there are new generations throughout the years progress made . In Central Europe, usually there is only a generation and in favorable years an incomplete second. The moths are found here from late June to late August. The moths are partly active during the day and are often found in artificial light sources or baits. During the day the moths hide in hedges and shrubs. If they are disturbed, they usually escape only a short distance, and then sit down again with outspread wings on leaves. Nectar sucking moths were on blooming purple moor grass ( Molinia ) and thistles ( Cirsium ) found.
The caterpillars can be observed in September. They feed on various herbaceous plants polyphagous. Various authors report that the larvae dried up, eat decaying or rotting leaves, for example by:
- Yellow Dock ( Rumex )
- Types of plantain ( Plantago )
- Genuine meadowsweet ( Filipendula ulmaria )
- Cow Parsley ( Anthriscus sylvestris)
- Dogs and chervil ( Anthriscus caucalis )
- Burnet saxifrage (Pimpinella Saxifraga )
- Meadows - bedstraw ( Galium mollugo )
- Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
- Willow ( Salix)
- Alder ( Alnus )
In captivity, the caterpillars also feed on dandelion (Taraxacum ) and knotweed ( Polygonum ). They also eat meat. They overwinter and are continuing to grow in May of the following year. They pupate in June in a loose cocoon on the ground. The type acts as a K- strategist.
System
The species was described in 1767 by Johann Siegfried Hufnagel as Phalaena dimidiata first time scientifically. Currently, two subspecies are distinguished: the nominotypical subspecies idaea dimidiata dimidiata Hufnagel, 1767 ( in the largest part of the range ) and idaea dimidiata antitaurica ( Wehrli, 1931). It is slightly smaller than the Nominatunterart colored and darker. It represents the Nominatunterart in southern Turkey, Cyprus, the Levant and North America.
Endangering
The species is not endangered in Germany.