Scopula immorata
Marbled small tensioner ( Scopula immorata )
The Marbled small tensioner ( Scopula immorata ), also known as Sand Grey Heather Grey Small clamps or sand grass heaths small tensioner, is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the tensioner ( Geometridae ).
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 23-27 mm ( males ) and 22 to 26 millimeters ( Weibchen. The second generation is smaller by 19 to 25 millimeters.
The ground color varies from whitish to yellowish to gray. The drawing elements, however, are brown differently. The color is dependent on the temperature and humidity during pupal development. Animals pupated under cold conditions, yielded almost pure gray moths. On the other hand, kept under warmer conditions animals butterflies found with yellowish color. The drawing elements consist of jagged transverse lines, which are to address to some extent as an inner transverse line means binding and outer transverse line only in high-contrast animals. In many instances, however, the transverse lines are so irregular that they give the butterflies along with the gray drawing elements a " mottled " appearance. Of these, in the species name immorata is transferred securely. In some animals, these lines are framed even brighter. Butterfly, in which color and color of the drawing elements are almost identical almost uniformly brown or gray. The transverse lines are then only the lighter framing the lines indicated something. The shaft line can be marked by gray triangle patches or by non-contiguous spots. The hemline is brown, the fringe is often alternately colored light and dark. Diskalflecke generally do not exist on the fore wings, but may be present on the hind wings, but these are usually small and inconspicuous.
The egg is irregularly cylindrical in shape with truncated end. It is first green, then light yellow and red spotted shortly before hatching of Eiraupen. The outside is covered with 20 longitudinal ribs which intersect with few transverse ribs.
The caterpillar is relatively thin and long. It is whitish yellow or greyish brown. The narrow dark dorsal line bordered by two red lines, of which the inner line to the rear end is too black. The narrow or wide side stripes are reddish brown.
The doll is relatively slim. It measures nine to 10.5 millimeters in length and about 2.5 to three millimeters in diameter. It is colored light brown to reddish brown and has blackish or at least darker elytra on. The relatively large cremaster is twice as long as wide at the base. In lateral view he runs to rather pointed. Laterally it is occupied with two long, curved bristles and terminal with four shorter, curved bristles.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The Marbled small tensioner has a very large distribution area, which extends from the Iberian Peninsula in the west, across Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, Central Asia to the Far East. However, many occurrences are isolated and disjointed. The species is therefore rather rare and only locally slightly more often.
The few stain stick occurrence in the Iberian Peninsula are expected to subspecies Scopula immorata duercki, the deposits on the southern Balkans ( southern Romania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania ) and in northern Turkey and the Caucasus region, however, are a subspecies Scopula immorata riloensis Züllich, 1936 by the nominotypischen subspecies separated.
The species occurs in warm, dry, but moist habitats. She prefers uncultivated land, floriferous meadows, dry grasslands, heathlands, grasslands, forest edges, clearings and glades. But even in gardens, old orchards, sand and gravel pits the species was observed. In the vertical direction it comes from the level up to about 1200 feet, in southern Europe up to 2400 meters and in Eastern Turkey and Northern Iran to 3000 meters before. Here, however, the type is missing at lower altitudes throughout.
Phenology and life
The species is usually bivoltin; ie, there are formed two generations per year. In the north of its range and at higher altitudes, however, only one generation is formed. In the first case, the moths fly from mid- May to early July and from late July to late August. In particularly favorable regions, the moths appear at the end of April. If only one generation formed, the moths appear in mid-June and fly until the end of July. The moths fly occasionally during the day, but usually rest in the vegetation, but can be easily startled. The main activity is just after sunrise or just after sunset. Visiting flowers was observed only in broadleaf thyme (Thymus pulegioides ). They are attracted to the artificial light sources.
Eggs are laid on the caterpillar food plants. It was observed this on pinna - Zwenke ( Brachypodium pinnatum ). Caterpillars were found at: broadleaf thyme (Thymus pulegioides ), oregano (Origanum vulgare), Artemisia (Artemisia ), heather ( Calluna vulgaris), Hawk herbs ( Hieracium ), Common Campion ( Lychnis viscaria ), plantain ( Plantago major), honeysuckle ( Lonicera caprifolium ) Vogelknöterichen ( Polygonum ), heather (Erica ), sand thyme (Thymus serpyllum ), Yarrow (Achillea millefolium ) and the ordinary dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). However, they feed primarily wilted plant material. We disturbed the caterpillar it occupies a peculiar shape that resembles a question mark. The caterpillar overwinters and pupates in the spring.
System
The species was described in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, under the name Phalaena Geometra immorata first time scientifically. Later, she was still under the name Phalaena contaminata Scopoli, 1763 Phalaena graminata Hufnagel, 1767 Phalaena festucaria Brahm, 1791, described Phalaena fuscata Fabricius, 1794 and Acidalia serenata Turati, 1905, all of which are junior synonyms. Acidalia immorata L. var riloensis Züllich, 1936 and Scopula immorata duercki Sheljuzhko, 1955 are now accepted as subspecies.
Endangering
The style is seen throughout Germany not compromised. However, the hazard sees in the individual federal states different. In Saxony and Lower Saxony it is classified in Category 2 ( high risk ), in North Rhine -Westphalia, it is threatened with extinction.