Scopula frigidaria
Scopula frigidaria
Scopula frigidaria is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the tensioner ( Geometridae ).
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 20-23 millimeters (or 21 to 23 millimeters). The wings are brownish-gray with a dark gray Überstäubung in the base color. The drawing on the front and hind wings are dull, especially the inner transverse line and the center binding. Only the outer, nearly straight transverse line is drawn slightly sharper. Often, even the wavy line developed that is thickened in Kostal's edge. The hem line is also drawn sharp dark brown. On the hind wings the outer transverse line is centrally bulged slightly. The range approximately from the outer transverse line to the hem is slightly darker than the ground color. The Diskalflecke usually absent entirely, but in some specimens weak points are still indicated.
The very slender caterpillar is gray -brown with a broad dark dorsal line.
Geographical Distribution and habitat
The species is widespread Holarctic. In Europe, it is restricted to the far north of Fennoscandia and eastward to the polar regions of northern Russia and northern Siberia. In the Nearctic it also occurs further south. The area draws here from Newfoundland over Labrador to Alaska. In the south it extends to Indiana and into southern British Columbia.
The species prefers the open tundra, in the Nearctic they are also found in coniferous and mixed forests, everywhere where blueberries grow. It occurs at an altitude of up to 300 meters above sea level in the area of distribution.
Way of life
Scopula frigidaria is one generation per year; the moths fly from early June to late July ( in Fennoscandia ), in the Russian Far East from mid-July to late August. In North America, the butterflies are found from late June to mid-August. The moths are active during the long twilight of the northern summer. They come to artificial light sources. In Northern Europe the caterpillars feed on the leaves of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus ) in the Nearctic there are no studies on the food plants of the caterpillars. The caterpillar overwinters and pupates in late spring.
Systematics and Taxonomy
The taxon was described in 1860 by Heinrich Benno Möschler as Acidalia frigidaria first time scientifically. The holotype came from Labrador ( Canada). There are a number of synonyms, including the name Acidalia schoeyeni Sparre -Schneider, 1883, which was initially viewed as a separate type, then as a subspecies of Scopula frigidaria ( Möschler, 1860). Hausmann ( 2004), however, it involves in the Nominatunterart so that no subspecies are excreted for this species. In the subdivision of the genus into four subgenera Scopula that is suggested by some authors, is provided frigidaria ( Möschler ) in the subgenus Scopula ( Calothysanis ).