Pachypasa otus
Pachypasa otus
Features
The species attains a wingspan of 70 to 95 millimeters ( males ) or 100 to 120 millimeters (females ), making it the largest occurring in the Palaearctic Gluckenart. The males have yellowish gray, long feathered sensors whose comb teeth on the middle to high end are sharply toward shorter. Head, neck collar and epaulettes are yellow-brown, the thorax and the abdomen are light yellow brown. The forewings are pale gray-brown and scattered especially at the front and inner edge purple gray scaly. In the center, the front wings have a pointed, deeply serrated violet brown transverse band and an equally colored, curled Submarginalband. Between them, the midfield is colored noticeably brighter, as well as the wing base color close to the outer edges of the binding. The wide edge of wing is whitish. The hind wings are evenly colored bright red-gray, the wing veins are slightly darker. The females are much larger and have a plumper physique. Their antennae are only bezähnt short. The front wings are noticeably less whitish and appear much darker. The hind wings are gray-brown dark in Submarginalbereich. The basic color of the moth is variable, and the purple gray of scales is less pronounced.
Occurrence and habitat
The species is widespread in Sicily and southern Italy to Istria and Dalmatia, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, as well as Asia Minor to Iraq, to the southeast of Iran. They settled mainly the coastal area and lives in dry forests and heathland. The species is widespread, but occurs only sporadically.
Way of life
The adults fly from June to September. The caterpillars feed on cypress ( Cypressus ), juniper (Juniperus ) and Thuja occidentalis. They should also downy oak (Quercus pubescens) can feed.
Economic use
The cocoon of this kind was in ancient times for the production, named after the island of Kos Coan silk ( coa vestis ) is used.