Peach Blossom
Peach Blossom ( Thyatira batis)
The Peach Blossom ( Thyatira batis) is a butterfly of the family of Sichelflügler ( Drepanidae ). So you have not heard despite her German name for the owls moths ( Noctuidae ).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 32-38 millimeters. They have dark gray-brown or gray forewing with fine black transverse lines. Striking are the five oval, whitish to pink spots that are brown in the middle. The hind wings are pale gray, but darker towards the edge.
The caterpillars are about 35 mm long. They are reddish brown to purple brown and have the 2nd, 5th to 9th and 11th segments hump on his back. On the back of a light, triangular drawing is to be recognized. Young caterpillars are brown and gray have on the top of the front segments of a large white spot.
Occurrence
The animals come into North Africa, Central Europe and Asia prior to Japan frequently and almost everywhere up to 1,500 m above sea level. They live in deciduous and coniferous forests and at the edges with stocks their food plants, but also in wet meadows with bushes and gardens.
Way of life
The nocturnal moths fly per year usually in two overlapping generations from May to August. You like to fly to artificial light sources.
Flight times and caterpillars
The moths fly in two generations from late May to early July and from the beginning to the end of August. The caterpillars from the eggs of the first generation can be found from late August to mid-September, the second from July to August in the following year.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars eat the leaves of blackberry (Rubus fruticosus ) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus ), sometimes also of currant ( Ribes ).
Development
The females lay their eggs singly on leaf margins. The caterpillars are also active at night, especially the young caterpillars but sit during the day motionless on the leaves of their food plants. Through their hunched posture, less by their coloring, they look like bird droppings ( mimicry ). The adult caterpillar hiding mostly, but sometimes sit in the same position as the young on the leaves. They pupate between leaves spun together. The second generation pupates in October and overwinters as before they hatch the following spring.