Ptilophora plumigera
Hair dandruff dental Spinner ( Ptilophora plumigera )
The hair dandruff dental Spinner ( Ptilophora plumigera ), sometimes referred to as Autumn tooth spinner or maple autumn Spinner, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the tooth Spinner ( Notodontidae ).
- 3.1 food of the caterpillars
- 4.1 Notes and references
Features
Imago
The moths reach a wingspan of 30 to 40 millimeters. They vary greatly in coloration of the wings, from light yellow -brown to blackish. The scalation is thinner than other tooth spinner types. The wings are narrow. The antennae of the male have very long, reaching to the top of a double comb teeth, while the antennae of females are short sawtooth. The palps are short, stunted the trunk. Head and thorax are long woolly, the abdomen covered with shorter hair. Due to the narrow wings, the thin squamation and the late time of flight of butterflies is not to be confused.
Egg
The egg is highly curved, hemispherical and slightly flattened at the poles. It is dark brown with bright rings.
Caterpillar
The caterpillar is up to 30 millimeters long, is glossy bright green and has two narrow white lines back.
Doll
The pupa is dark brown, spotted with black, with a pointed cremaster and a remarkably thin shell.
Occurrence
The animals are widely used in Europe, territory as often and come east to Russia, south to the Caucasus and north to southern Scandinavia before. They live in different habitats, such as dry to moderately moist deciduous forests, warm slopes, parks and gardens.
Way of life
The moths are nocturnal, like to fly to artificial light sources and published annually mainly in a generation in November and December. In order for the hair dandruff dental Spinner is the latest flying in Zahnspinnerart. Most moths do not appear until after the first frosts. In an early winter they can be found also in early spring. The females lay eggs in small groups on maple buds. The eggs overwinter. The caterpillars live in May and June and develop under favorable temperature conditions within three weeks. Pupation takes place on the ground in a loose cocoon.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed mainly on field maple (Acer campestre ) and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus).