Pyroderces caesaris

Pyroderces caesaris is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the splendor butterfly ( Cosmopterigidae ).

Features

The moths reach a wingspan of 13-15 millimeters. The front wings are ocher brown and have a silky white drawing. Two narrow, elongated lines extend into the anal cleft and on the wing inner edge. A sloping inwards binding is located at 1 /3 of the forewing length. A similar, less oblique binding lies in the wing center and does not reach the Costa loader. A very oblique outward stroke begins at the outer edge of the central bond. There are some elongated strokes, pointing towards the apex on the Costa loader. A line extends from the inner angle to the wing tip. In the middle it is branched and points in the direction of the fringe scales on the wing inner edge. Most strokes and stains are outlined irregular dark brown. The fringe scales are at the apex ocher yellow and towards the wing inner edge ocher gray to gray.

In the males, the Tegumen is trapezoidal. The right brachium is curved downward, and the left brachium is bent inwardly. The Valven are elongated. The upper edge is slightly concave and has in the center a flat hump. The lower edge is nearly straight. The aedeagus is clipped and has a sclerotized basal ring. The Anellarröhre ( Manica ) is straight and tapers distally slightly. The left Valvella is long and slender and slightly curved inwards. The right Valvella is very short. The genital armature of the males is similar to that of Pyroderces argyrogrammos, but differs in the shape of Tegumens, of the blades and the Anellarröhre.

In females, the sterigma is almost circular. The ostium is located in the upper left side of the sterigma and has a sclerotized, lobe-like appendage. The ductus bursae slightly longer than the oval-shaped corpus bursae. The signals consist of two rounded, weakly sclerotized plates is provided with teeth of different sizes, tongue -shaped extensions.

Similar Species

In contrast to Pyroderces argyrogrammos the bandages on the front wings are clearer and more drawn at Pyroderces caesaris. The fringe scales are at the apex of yellow ocher. The apical white ring of the tibiae of the hind legs inside is lined with brown.

Dissemination

Pyroderces caesaris is spread from Spain via the Mediterranean to Turkey and Ukraine (Crimea ).

Biology

The caterpillars develop on Echinops ruthenicus, Centaurea orientalis, split knapweed (Centaurea Salonitana ) and Cirsium sublaniflorum. They burrow into the tubular flowers and eat mostly the young fruit. After the winter they eat the fruits of last year, but also quite often the dolls of other herbivorous insects. These include Weevil ( Curculionidae ) and Bohrfliegenarten ( Tephritidae ). The caterpillars pupate between the pappus of the fruit. It makes one generation per year, the moths fly from late May to early autumn. The long flight time is based on the long and asynchronous development of caterpillars.

Documents

• Splendor falter
• Cosmopterigidae