Scopula incanata
White Grey Small tensioner ( Scopula incanata )
Called The White Grey Small tensioner ( Scopula incanata ), also Silver Grey Small tensioner, scree -floor small clamps or gray clamps, [Note 1] is a butterfly (moth ) from the family of the tensioner ( Geometridae ).
- 6.1 Notes and references
- 6.2 Literature
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 24-30 millimeters (or 25 to 28 millimeters ), the second generation is with a wingspan 20-25 mm on average significantly smaller. The apex of the forewing is slightly tipped. The wings are in the ground color light gray with a darker gray Überstäubung. The transverse lines are dark gray to brownish gray. While the inner transverse line is rather blurry, is often marked by dots on the wing veins or missing, means shadow and outer transverse line are usually configured stronger. The central shade is often diffusely perforated outer cross line, the serrations directed towards the outer edge. On the outer edge Kostal transverse line is not inflected. In contrast, the inner transverse line, if present, plainly inflected to wing the base. The Saumfeld is gray and usually has a whitish wavy line. On the front and hind wings Diskalflecke are available. The hemline is decorated with dots. The fringes are usually held in the base color, also dotted partly at the base ( offset to the Saumpunkten ). Thus, the fringes often seem slightly spotted. The strong drawing and dark gray Überstäubung is induced by cold and humid conditions during the puppet time. Brighter, drawing specimens low occur more in hot and dry conditions during the puppet stage.
The egg is slightly conical, but at the top end a little wider. It is in the tray first yellow and receives later, shortly before hatching of Eiraupen, red patches on the surface. The surface 18 has sharp longitudinal ribs and transverse ribs finer.
The slender caterpillar is whitish gray to yellowish -gray with a limited indistinct, darker dorsal line which is interrupted by the segment cuts.
The red-brown doll has greenish crowded wing sheaths. The small cremaster is busy at the rounded end with two diverging outwardly curved, pointed bristles. Laterally ever sit two fine, hook-like curved, shorter bristles.
Similar Species
The White Grey Small tensioner is very similar to the edge stain - free tensioner ( Scopula marginepunctata ). In this type, however, the outer transverse line at the costal edge bends sharply inward. The Vorderflügelapex is more rounded, the front wings are rather sandy colored with significantly less gray proportions. The moths are also slightly smaller than the moths of the White terror retail tensioner on average.
Geographical distribution and habitat
The range extends from the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Urals in Eastern Europe. However, the occurrence, especially in Western and Central Europe are very localized and scattered. In the north, the area extends approximately in the middle Fennoscandia and northern Baltic. In southern Europe there are isolated occurrences in central Italy and southern Greece ( Peloponnese ), and probably also in Sicily. But otherwise you're missing on all the Mediterranean islands, as well as in the north of the British Isles. In Central Europe the species is found almost exclusively in the hills and in the mountains before, in Northern and Eastern Europe in the lowlands. In the east, the distribution area of Asia Minor, the Caucasus, northern Iran, northern Kazakhstan, Siberia, the Altai Mountains extending as far as Yakutia and the eastern Mongolia.
The species prefers dry warm, sunny habitats usually covered in the hills or mountains, scree slopes, quarries, gravel pits, abandoned vineyards, rocky meadow slopes with sparse vegetation (eg calcareous grassland ), often with Thymianen ( thymus). Even in the outskirts locations with gardens, hedges, orchards and ruderal species was already observed. In Denmark at sea level it lives on gray sand dunes. It rises in the northern Alps to 1500 meters, in the Southern Alps up to 2000 meters. In southern Europe it is normally even available only from 1000 to 2300 meters above sea level. In Iran, it rises up to 2700 meters.
Way of life
The White Grey Small tensioner is usually two generations per year, the butterflies fly from early May until mid September, usually with a gap in July. In climatically favorable regions in Central Europe, in the Southern Alps and the Mediterranean region for three generations are usually formed, whose moth fly from late March to November. In the north of its range and in the mountains only a generation is formed; The butterflies fly there from late June to early August. The moths rest during the day on stones and branches, but they can also be observed when visiting flowers. They are crepuscular and nocturnal and come to artificial light sources. The caterpillars live polyphagous on various herbaceous plants. In the literature mentioned: smartweed ( Polygonum aviculare ), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia ), sand thyme (Thymus serpyllum ), oregano (Origanum vulgare), precious germander ( Teucrium chamaedrys ), Bellflower (Campanula ), catchflies ( Lychnis ) carnations (Dianthus ), Common horseshoe vetch ( Hippocrepis comosa ), Scotch broom ( Cytisus scoparius ). In Northern Europe the caterpillars thyme (Thymus ), and species of the genus Vogelknöteriche ( Polygonum ) seem to prefer. The breed also succeeded with Common Clematis (Clematis vitalba ), Mary bellflower ( Campanula medium ), honeysuckle ( Lonicera ), Purgier buckthorn ( Rhamnus cathartica ) and dandelion (Taraxacum ).
The caterpillar of the 2nd (or 3rd generation) overwinters and pupates in spring of the following year.
Systematics and Taxonomy
The taxon was described in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus as Phalaena Geometra incanata first time scientifically. There are numerous synonyms. In the subgenus classification of the genus Scopula (with three subgenera ) is provided incanata Linnaeus in the subgenus Calothysanis. Currently, up to four subspecies are known:
- Scoula incanata incanata, in the largest part of the range
- Scopula incanata ibericata Reisser, 1935, larger on the western Iberian Peninsula, on average, with lighter color and lighter Saumfeld
- ? Scopula incanata albida Silbernagel, 1944, Macedonia, very bright color
- Scopula incanata remmi Viidalepp, 1979, Mongolia and Yakutia
Endangering
The risk situation of the White terror retail tensioner is very different in the various German states ranging from " not at risk " (eg Baden- Württemberg ) to extinct (Category 0 ) (eg, Mecklenburg -Vorpommern and Saarland). Endangered ( category 2) is the way in North Rhine -Westphalia, endangered (category 3) in Rhineland -Palatinate and Saxony.