Pterostoma palpina
Palps toothed Spinner ( Pterostoma palpina )
The palps toothed Spinner ( Pterostoma palpina ) is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the tooth Spinner ( Notodontidae ).
- 5.1 Notes and references
- 5.2 Literature
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 35-52 millimeters. They have yellow-brown forewings that have a fine, dark veining. In the middle of the forewing inner margin carry a dark, ciliated at the edge of tooth-like appendage, which is in the rest position over the back upwards. The hind wings are pale gray - brown. The moths have greatly enlarged jaw buttons that are long and thick hair and straightened forward, which is why they have gotten its name.
The caterpillars are about 40 mm long and have a breast portion which is slightly slimmer than the rest of the body. They are light bluish green, the color is on the back but much brighter. On the back run several fine longitudinal white lines. Left and right runs from the back of each one stronger yellowish white longitudinal line, which is very finely edged with black above. On the first segment this is colored slightly pink.
Occurrence
The animals come in all of Europe, east to central Asia widespread and common. They live in light deciduous forests and in thickets, but also in parks and gardens.
Way of life
The nocturnal moths sit during the day with a roof-shaped set out wings on tree bark and are by their camouflage that mimics a piece of bark difficult to detect. Males and females can lure by artificial light, the females are active soon after dusk and the males occur after midnight.
Flight times and caterpillars
The moths fly in two generations from late April to early June and from late July to August. The caterpillars are found from August to September and in June and July of the following year.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed mainly on the leaves of quaking aspen (Populus temula ), goat willow (Salix caprea ) and basket willow ( Salix viminalis ) but also from other poplar and willow species.
Development
The females lay their dull blue-green eggs singly or in small groups on the upper leaf surface of forage crops. The resulting hatching caterpillars eat the leaves unmistakable from the top starting on both sides of the intact lasting midrib on which they sit with the back part to the blade tip. Older caterpillars are found, however, usually on branches or on the petiole. They pupate on or in the soil in a loose white cocoon, the second generation overwinters as a pupa. The doll itself is dark brown.