Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
878
Conistra vaccinii
(Linnaeus) (
878
)
Chestnut moth
A generally distributed species, the larvae feeding on
the foliage and flowers of various trees, shrubs and
herbaceous plants, including alder (
Alnus
), elm
(
Ulmus
), lime (
Tilia
), maple (
Acer
), oak (
Quercus
),
poplar (
Populus
),
Sorbus
and willow (
Salix
); the larvae
sometimes cause minor damage in gardens and
nurseries but are not important pests. Adults appear in
September and October, but do not deposit eggs until
after emerging from hibernation in the following spring.
Eggs hatch within a couple of weeks. Larvae feed on the
foliage and flowers of host plants from April onwards.
Fully grown individuals (
c
. 32 mm long) are stout-
bodied and mainly greyish brown or greyish green, with
whitish dorsal pinacula and indistinct dorsal and
subdorsal lines. When feeding is completed, usually in
July, larvae enter the soil and construct silken cocoons
in which, after a lengthy period of aestivation, they
eventually pupate. Adults (30-35 mm wingspan) are
broad-bodied, with a distinctly flattened abdomen; the
fore wings are usually glossy chestnut-red, with a
prominent black spot in the reniform stigma; brownish
variegated forms also occur; the hind wings are pinkish
brown to greyish brown.
878
Chestnut moth (
Conistra vaccinii
).
879
Cosmia trapezina
(Linnaeus) (
879-880
)
syn.
Calymnia trapezina
(Linnaeus)
Dun-bar moth
A generally common but minor pest of trees and shrubs,
including ash (
Fraxinus excelsior
), beech (
Fagus
sylvatica
), birch (
Betula
), common buckthorn
(
Rhamnus cathartica
), crab-apple (
Malus
), elm
(
Ulmus
), flowering cherry (
Prunus
), hawthorn
(
Crataegus
), hazel (
Corylus
), hornbeam (
Carpinus
betulus
), maple (
Acer
), oak (
Quercus
), poplar
(
Populus
), pussy willow (
Salix caprea
) and rowan
(
Sorbus aucuparia
). The larvae often occur on such
plants in gardens, parks and nurseries. They feed from
April to June, but cause only slight damage. In their
later developmental stages they often devour the larvae
of other moths. Individuals (up to 30 mm long) are
bright green, with three white lines along the back, a
yellowish one along each side and yellowish
intersegmental bands; the pinacula are small and black,
each at least partly edged with white. Adults (25-32 mm
wingspan) are mainly whitish grey to yellowish grey,
with a pinkish tinge and a more or less darkened central
band on each fore wing. They occur in July and August.
879
Larva of dun-bar moth (
Cosmia trapezina
).
880
880
Dun-bar moth (
Cosmia trapezina
).
Search WWH ::
Custom Search