Mythimna l-album
White L ( Mythimna ( Hyphilare ) l -album)
The White L ( Mythimna ( Hyphilare ) l -album) is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
Butterfly
The moths reach a wingspan of 29-37 mm. The forewings are elongate with a pointed tip (apex). Their color varies from pale ocher to olive - gray. Very characteristic is a white "L" about the middle of the front wings. From this drawing, the name comes from. Always present is a black Wurzelstrieme. In contrast, a light helical stripes, which leads to the apex is not always distinct. The wings which is white, particularly in the distal part of the blade. The seam line is a number of small black triangles (arrow spots ) which are followed outwards from a bright line. The Diskalflecke are not clearly developed. The hind wings are pale gray, often slightly darker in females. The undersides of both pairs of wings are light gray with a slight iridescence.
Egg
The nearly spherical egg is somewhat flattened top and bottom. The outer wall is slightly irregular with a fine hole structure. It is after the first filing yellow white, then dark and reddish yellow just before hatching, the caterpillar.
Caterpillar
The yellowish-brown caterpillar has a thin, light, black lined topline. The side ridge lines are black and accompanied towards the belly of a bright line. The wide side lines are discontinued gray and not clear. The animals have small, black dot warts. The head is light brown with two curved lines, the top of the head shows three bright longitudinal lines.
Doll
The doll is stocky and brown. The cremaster is short staffed and with small bristles.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The species is widespread across North Africa, Western, Central and Southern Europe to Middle East and Central Asia. The distribution limit in northern fluctuates. It occurs on the northern edge of their range also as migrant moths, but the way now seems to be down to earth already in the south of England, Denmark and southern Scandinavia. The distribution boundary then runs from the Baltic Sea across the Baltic States, to the south of Moscow to the Urals.
The species occurs mainly in somewhat wetter, but also dry and warm areas with grass surfaces. She prefers sunlit semi-arid grassland in abandoned vineyards, abandoned garden areas, screes and slopes as well as residential areas with appropriate vegetation. The specification in many older books that the way especially in wetlands has its frequency focus, is not true at least for Baden- Württemberg. In the Alps, the nature rises to 1600 m. But you're lacking in the highest altitudes of the mountains ( in the Black Forest approximately above 800 m).
Way of life
It makes two generations per year, the moths fly from May to July and August to October. The moths are nocturnal and come to light; they may also be lured. They were observed as in flowers of Commons ivy (Hedera helix), Buddleia ( Buddleja ), Schlingknöterich ( Fallopia aubertii ) reed (Phragmites australis) and Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) Nectar intake. Of interest is the observation that the butterfly flowers of the Blue whistling grass ( Molinia caerulea) attended, as this of ergot fungi ( Claviceps ) was infested. The eggs are laid in rows in the folded blades of grass. The little caterpillars grouped hatch within two weeks. The caterpillars are found from October to May and in July and August. They are initially also diurnal and feed on
- Pinna - Zwenke ( Brachypodium pinnatum )
- Defenseless brome ( Bromus inermis )
- Tauber brome ( Bromus sterilis )
- Exceptional orchard grass ( Dactylis glomerata )
- Wire Schmiele ( Deschampsia flexuosa ) and
- Creep couch grass ( Elymus repens )
- Fescue ( Festuca )
- Tube fescue ( Festuca arundinacea ) ( Festuca elatior incl )
- Genuine sheep fescue ( Festuca ovina )
- Timothy- grass ( Phleum pratense)
- Plantain ( Plantago )
- Annual bluegrass ( Poa annua)
- Grove bluegrass ( Poa nemoralis )
- Kentucky bluegrass ( Poa pratensis)
- Yellow Dock ( Rumex )
- Dandelion ( Taraxacum )
The caterpillar overwinters half-grown. After wintering caterpillars are exclusively nocturnal. They pupate in a cocoon in the soil. The pupal period lasts about three weeks.
Taxonomy and systematics
The taxon was described in 1767 by Carl Linnaeus as Phalaena Noctua l -album for the first time scientifically. The species was frequently asked to the genus Hyphilare Hübner, 1821 in older works. After that, almost exclusively, the classification of the genus Mythimna. In the latest works is then Hyphilare Hübner, made in 1821 as a subgenus of Mythimna Ochsenheimer, 1816 and referred to the species as Mythimna ( Hyphilare ) l -album.