Spilosoma lubricipeda
Male Breitflügeliger Fleckleibbär ( Spilosoma lubricipeda )
The wide -winged Fleckleibbär ( Spilosoma lubricipeda ) is a butterfly (moth ) from the subfamily of tiger moths ( Arctiinae ). Older scientific names are Spilarctica lubricipeda and Spilosoma menthastri.
- 3.1 Flight times and caterpillars
- 3.2 food of the caterpillars
- 5.1 Literature
Description
The wingspan is about 30 to 42 millimeters. It can be seen that white butterfly at the irregularly spaced points on the upper side of the forewing. Based on these features, but can not be distinguished from narrow -winged Fleckleibbär to him. A relatively large proportion of the animals is consistent with the most obvious characteristic of the species überein1:
- Spilosoma urticae - pure white, no or very few black dots
- Spilosoma lubricipeda - wing with many black dots
It occurs, however, a significant proportion of little -drawn or completely loose white drawing animals in nature in appearance. Even with Spilosoma urticae may be more or less dotted specimens occur.
The head has clear comb probe representing a certainly distinctive habitual feature in the males. at Spilosoma lubricipeda the sensor comb teeth are clearly longer than urticae at Spilosoma. The close relationship between the two types is deutlich1 also in the genital morphology.
The body top is wearing a yellow warning color which is provided on both sides with a row of black spots. In case of danger, the nature is dead and the enemy shows their deterrent yellow and black colored rump.
Crawler
The caterpillars are about 40 mm long. They are gray -brown and have a yellowish-white or reddish spine strip. They have a very strong, dark brown hair.
Similar Species
- Grizzly ( Diaphora mendica ) ( Clerck, 1759)
- American Webebär ( Hyphantria cunea ) ( Drury, 1773)
- Yellow Fleckleibbär ( Spilosoma lutea ) ( Hufnagel, 1766 )
- Schmalflügeliger Fleckleibbär ( Spilosoma urticae ) ( Esper, 1789)
Habitat
You can find the spot Breitflügeliger body bears throughout Europe until the 62nd degree, so to southern Scandinavia and southern Finland, especially common in moist places along forest edges, pelts, in old gravel pits, on the edges of fields and ruderal areas. In the mountains up to an altitude of 1,800 m. It never comes to mass developments such as at the nun.
Way of life
The animals are poisonous and are spat out by birds and not attacked by such an experience. Similar tiger moth species that are non-toxic, take advantage of this similarity ( mimicry ).
Flight times and caterpillars
Flight time begins in mid- May and ends in July. In favorable years, there are two incomplete generations. The moths are active at night, especially just before sunrise, where they stand in contrast to the majority of moths. The caterpillars are found from July to September.
Food of the caterpillars
The caterpillars feed on many different plants, such as from the ordinary dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), Scotch broom ( Sarothamnus scoparius ), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), viper's bugloss ( Echium vulgare), plantain ( Plantago spec.), Common Sorrel ( Rumex acetosa ), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus ), raspberry (Rubus idaeus ) and elderberry (Sambucus spp.).
Development
The females lay their eggs in large groups side by side onto the underside of leaves of fodder plants. The resulting hatched caterpillars move very quickly. Pupation takes place in a solid cocoon, which is also built with caterpillar hairs instead. This winter the animals.