Udea lutealis
Udea lutealis
Udea lutealis is a butterfly of the family Crambidae. The species is widely distributed across Europe.
Features
The moths reach a wingspan of 23-26 millimeters. The forewings are cream-colored or yellow ocher. The costal margin ( leading edge of the insect wing in the area of Costa after the Comstock - Needham system ) is often darker. The outer transverse line is very wavy, serrated in the front part to the back of a tongue-shaped lobe. A kidney flaw lies right next to the lobe of the outer transverse line, a ring stain is closer to the root zone. The inner transverse line is blurry and often interrupted. The dividing line in the tip of the forewing is usually blurred and indistinct. The toggling, the outer and inner transverse line and the division line are dark brown. The hind wings are pale gray to whitish and have a low arch at the base on.
The length of the track is variable, it ranges from 13 to 15 millimeters. This well-nourished early larval stages in January are slightly longer than late instars in June. The tracked head of the first larval stages is drawn yellowish white and slightly brownish. The caterpillars of the last stage have a pale yellowish brown head with brown markings. The head bears posterolateral black spots. The stemmata are blackish brown, the Stemmatalbereich has the same color as the head. The Prothorakalschild is shiny and translucent, it has the same coloring as the side lying areas of the body and can wear a brown drawing. The Torah calf A, like the belly colored. The crawler body of the first larval stage is yellowish green and translucent, so that the internal organs are visible on the back. In later stages, the body is light amber in color and also translucent. The crawler body is provided with broad whitish Subdorsallinien. In the posterior segments dark fecal pellets may be visible. The respiratory openings ( Spiraculum ) have the same coloring as of the crawler body. The inner horizontal trachea is clearly visible as a thin line. The hair of the early and late larval stages are golden and transparent. The whitish Subdorsallinen the abdomen flow together on the Analsegment. On the transparent stains darker internal organs are visible. The abdominal feet have the same color as the belly. The end plates of the anal feet ( Plantation ) are stretched and thin, hook rings are reddish brown.
Lifestyle and deposits
The species is widespread in Central Europe rather on moister sites like fresh meadows, glades, forest trails etc.. The moths fly at night from June to August. From about August you can find the oligophagen caterpillars that live in a cocoon on the underside of leaves of the following plants: Yellow Dock ( Rumex ), Buttercup (Ranunculus ), Plantain ( Plantago ), coltsfoot ( Tussilago ), Knapweed (Centaurea ), Ring thistles ( Carduus ), strawberry (Fragaria ), Artemisia, thistles ( Cirsium ), Rubus spp.
Dissemination
The species is widespread in Europe. It is so far not been detected in Spain, the Mediterranean islands and Greece.