Phyllodesma tremulifolium
Oak hen, ( Phyllodesma tremulifolia ) above males, females below
- 3.1 Flight times and caterpillars
- 3.2 food of the caterpillars
- 6.1 Notes and references
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 27-42 millimeters. They have light red-brown front and rear wings that are curled at the edges and perforated. Because of this and the rest position of the moths, in which the hind wings are advanced under the front wings and both pairs of wings are like a roof over the body, do the animals, like a dry leaf. On the wings you can recognize individual gray spots, which also slightly greyish near the trailing edge of a gray binding is visible.
The caterpillars are about 80 mm long. They are much wider than grown up and have a whitish-gray or light yellowish brown staining. On each segment they carry two indistinct bright dots on the second and third segment are two bright orange, black horizontal stripes on the sides of skinfold ausstülpbar. You know deep gray on the sides, densely arranged, long hair, that causes the caterpillar is sitting on a branch almost invisible. Your bottom is drawn in black and yellow.
Similar Species
- Poplar hen ( Gastro Pacha populifolia )
- Lappet ( Gastro quercifolia )
- Willow hen ( Phyllodesma ilicifolia )
Occurrence
The animals come in Europe, except in Scandinavia, the UK and on the western Atlantic coast. In Central Europe they are rare, they need warm climate and are therefore in the Mediterranean area and to meet the Southern Alps frequently. They live in warm, light deciduous forests.
Way of life
The moths are active at night and see in its rest position as clucking from. When you sit down they move even just like a brooding hen back and forth. If the caterpillars are disturbed, they put on a warning orange skin folds from the back. This is not sufficient, true to her upper body and rocking back and forth, thereby showing their yellow and black bottom.
Flight times and caterpillars
The moths fly in one generation late April to early June, the caterpillars can be found in July and August.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on deciduous trees and shrubs, especially of beech ( Fagus sylvatica), common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), aspen (Populus tremula ), goat willow (Salix caprea ), silver birch (Betula pendula), oak (Quercus robur) and other oak species.
Development
The eggs are reddish brown. The resulting hatching caterpillars pupate at the end of summer in a yellow cocoon. The pupa overwinters, the moths hatch until the following spring.
Threats and conservation
- Red List FRG: 2 ( endangered ).