Paratrea plebeja
Paratrea plebeja
Paratrea plebeja is the only butterfly species of the genus Paratrea from the family of moth ( Sphingidae ). The species is probably closely related to the genus Manduca.
- 3.1 Flight times and caterpillars
- 3.2 food plants of the caterpillars
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
Characteristics of the moths
The moths have a forewing length of 31 to 35 millimeters. The forewings are gray and white patterned and have a set of black lines that run from the wing tip of the medial region to the edge of the vane inner edge. The animals have a small, white, round Diskalfleck. The hind wings are gray-brown with the exception of a cream-colored area around the Diskalzelle. The pattern of the moths is not variable.
Features of the crawler
The caterpillars are colored very noticeable in the last stage. Enter at your sides seven wide strips that are white below and discolor towards bright yellow up to the back of the next segment. The ventral side of the caterpillar is pale green, lime green back. Additionally, the animals are provided with scattered, fine secondary bristles. Below the spiracles are whitish, yellow above. The rather smooth Analhorn is blue and slightly curved backwards.
Features of the Dolls
The dolls are walnut brown, but the elytra and the back are slightly darker than the abdomen. Its surface is slightly rough. The rather long proboscis is free, but is close to the body. The short cremaster is triangular and ends in a sharp point.
Occurrence
The species is widespread and nearktisch comes from the eastern United States to the edge of the Great Plains before. There you will find they are still in Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and the eastern Texas. A finding from Briscoe County ( Texas) is documented. In the southeastern United States, in the valleys of the Mississippi River and the Ohio River and along the Atlantic coast, the type occur quite frequently. The northernmost evidence of the kind from the United States comes from Cape Cod, as well as further west from Lucas County ( Ohio), Cass County ( Michigan) and Hardin County ( Iowa). The only fund in Canada comes from the southern Ontario. However, it is unclear whether these northern evidence documented only vagrants, or even permanent populations.
The species is a species of eastern North American mixed forests.
Way of life
The adults can be observed during dusk when visiting flowers. They have been tested on the ordinary soapwort ( Saponaria officinalis), Phlox (Phlox ), petunia ( Petunia ), Miracle Flowers ( mirabilis), honeysuckle ( Lonicera ), Hymenocallis caroliniana and verbena (Verbena ).
Flight times and caterpillars
The moths fly in the north, in at least two generations from May to August. In the south they fly well in two generations from late April to June and from August to October. In Florida, even from April to November and from March to September in Louisiana, this every several generations.
Food plants of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on American trumpet vine ( Campsis radicans ), Yellow Trumpet Flower ( Tecoma stans ), all Bignoniaceae ( Bignoniaceae ), and the entrained Tecomaria capensis. It is unclear whether the caterpillars also eat at vulgar lilac (Syringa vulgaris) and passion flower (Passiflora ) as described by Hodges (1971 ) is specified.