Pyrausta purpuralis
Purple corn borer ( Pyrausta purpuralis )
The Purple corn borer ( Pyrausta purpuralis ) is a butterfly of the family Crambidae.
- 3.1 Flight times and caterpillars
- 4.1 Notes and references
Features
The Purple corn borer reaches a wingspan of about 20 millimeters. The front wings are covered with purple scales and have several golden yellow stains on. The hind wings have a blackish ground color and wearing a bright yellow band. Depending on the age of the moth coloration can vary in strength. For heavily flown copies the eponymous purple scales are almost no longer exists. The second generation is larger and usually carries a wider yellow drawing.
The caterpillars are green and have yellowish longitudinal lines and a brown head.
Synonyms
- Pyrausta purpuraria Latreille, 1802
- Pyrausta melanalis Caradja, 1916
Habitat
This habitat includes dry to moist spots in open landscapes, such as meadows and grassy places.
Way of life
Among the food plants of the caterpillars include, inter alia field mint (Mentha arvensis ), water mint ( Mentha aquatica ) and oregano (Origanum ). They feed near the bottom in spun together leaves of fodder plants.
The moths fly both in sunny weather and in the dark.
Flight times and caterpillars
Pyrausta purpuralis flies in two generations of April to June and from June to mid-October. The flight times may shift depending on the climatic conditions. The caterpillars can be observed in April of the following year May-June and August respectively.