Xanthia icteritia
Bleaching Gelbeule ( Xanthia icteritia )
The bleach- Gelbeule ( Xanthia icteritia ) or bleach willow Gelbeule is a butterfly of the family of cutworms ( Noctuidae ). The moths are pronounced autumn butterflies and fly in August and October in hedges and bushes landscapes.
Features
In contrast to the very similar violet Gelbeule ( Xanthia togata ), the bleaching Gelbeule differs by a variable, red-purple stripes on her wings, although not usually have the form of a continuous binding. In some cases, it is entirely absent, instead, show the wings only a small annular spot.
The red-brown, lined with dark spots and bright lines caterpillar lives in the spring first on pussy-willow. In later stages the caterpillars fall with the falling through the feeding kittens to the ground, where they feed on various low herbs. The living polyphagous caterpillar are found not to Sal - willow (Salix caprea ) also at Aspen (Populus tremula ), blackberry (Rubus fruticosus ) and bog bilberry (Vaccinium uliginosum ). Pupation occurs in a cocoon in the soil in which the caterpillar still spends some time as a resting larva.
The eggs overwinter.
Similar Species
- Violet Gelbeule ( Xanthia togata )
- Strip Gelbeule ( Xanthia citrago )
- Gold Gelbeule ( Xanthia aurago )
Occurrence
The animals are still quite common in most parts of Central Europe. They prefer forest edges with Weidengebüchen, wet meadows or the shore of waters, as it also contains their main food plant, the goat willow grows.