| Sallow kitten | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Notodontidae |
| Genus: | Furcula |
| Species: | F. furcula |
| Binomial name | |
| Furcula furcula (Clerck, 1759) | |
Furcula furcula, the sallow kitten, is a moth from the family Notodontidae. It was first described by the Swedish entomologist Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759 from a specimen found in Sweden.
The moth can be found in Europe (including the Mediterranean region), Anatolia and through Asia to China. It is also found in North America. [1]
The sallow kitten is grey/white and has a wingspan of 27 to 35 mm. The first part of the wing has a large grey middle band. It differs from the poplar kitten ( Furcula bifida ) in its generally smaller size, but more especially in the shape of the black line forming the outer margin of the central band; this is always more or less angled or dentate towards the front margin of the wings, whereas, in the poplar kitten, this portion of the line forms a clean curve.
The blackish grey median band is sharply edged with black, its distal sinus usually extends only to the apex of the cell; beyond the middle 3 parallel dentate lines. In borealis Borkh., from Lapland and Northern Russia, thorax and wings are blackish smoke-colour; specimens from Amurland also are somewhat darker than those from Central and Southern Europe. — sangaica Moore, which inhabits North and Central China, is distinguished by its narrower median band. — Egg black.The larva at first blackish, later stages yellowish green clotted with red, a large patch on the thorax and continuous with it dorsal spots on abdominal segments 1 —8 dark red-brown; the spot on segment 4 largest, extending sideways to the stigmata. Head of the same colour as the spots. Anal filaments with red-brown . Pupa in a brown cocoon, yellowish brown with greenish wing-cases; frequently hibernates twice. [2]
The flight period ranges from April to the end of August. Depending on location the moth has one or two generations per year and is attracted to light. [1]
The dark purple, hemispherical eggs are laid in batches of two or three on the upper surface of leaves in May or June and again in August. They hatch after nine days. [1]
The caterpillar can grow up to 35 mm and is bright green with a purple brown marking on the saddle and can be found from May through to September. The main host plants are willow (Salix species) and occasionally aspen (Populus tremula) and other poplar (Populus species). [3] Larvae can be found on small isolated moorland bushes. [1]
Before pupation the larva hollows out a recess. The pupa is dark purple-brown and pupation takes place in a tough cocoon constructed from a mixture of chewed wood-pulp and silk. [1]
The slender pug is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1813 and is found throughout Europe and western parts of the Palearctic. The larva feeds on the catkins of willow.
The poplar kitten is a species of moth in the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Nikolaus Joseph Brahm in 1787. They are found throughout Europe and in North Africa, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Xinjiang.
The coxcomb prominent is a moth of the family Notodontidae. It is a common species throughout the Palearctic realm from Ireland to Japan. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
The buff-tip is a moth of the family Notodontidae. It is found throughout Europe and in Asia to eastern Siberia. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Apatura iris, the purple emperor, is a Palearctic butterfly of the family Nymphalidae.
The black arches or nun moth is a small Palaearctic moth. It is considered a forest pest.
The lobster moth, also known as lobster prominent, is a moth from the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 10th edition of Systema Naturae. The English name refers to the crustacean-like appearance of the caterpillar.
Cerura vinula, the puss moth, is a lepidopteran from the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Pheosia tremula, the swallow prominent, is a moth from the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759.
Agrochola lota, the red-line Quaker, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1759. It is distributed throughout the whole of Europe except Scandinavia; in Armenia, Asia Minor, and east across the Palearctic to the Altai Mountains and western Siberia.It was introduced to Newfoundland. In the Alps, it rises at altitudes of just over 1500 metres.
Catocala fraxini, the blue underwing or Clifden nonpareil, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Xanthia togata, the pink-barred sallow, is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a Holarctic species, and is found throughout Europe and east through the Palearctic to Central Asia, and Siberia up to the Ussuri. The distribution area includes the United States and Canada. It was first described by the German entomologist Eugenius Johann Christoph Esper in 1788 from the type specimen in Germany
Drymonia dodonaea, the marbled brown, is a moth of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is found in Europe and in the area surrounding the Caucasus.
Notodonta dromedarius, the iron prominent, is a moth of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1767. It is found in Europe and Anatolia.
Notodonta ziczac, the pebble prominent, is a moth of the family Notodontidae. It is found in Europe ranging to Central Asia.
The March dagger moth is a moth of the subfamily Chimabachinae. It is found in Europe and was first described by Michael Denis & Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775.
Catocala electa, the rosy underwing, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Karl Friedrich Vieweg in 1790. It can be found in Europe and Asia.
Dicallomera fascelina, the dark tussock, is a moth in the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found in most of Europe, through the Palearctic to Central Asia to Korea.
Odontosia carmelita, the scarce prominent, is a moth of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Eugenius Johann Christoph Esper in 1798. It is found in central Europe, ranging to Ireland and Finland in the north and Russia in the east.
Clostera pigra, the small chocolate-tip, is a moth of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Johann Siegfried Hufnagel in 1766. It is a Palearctic species found from Europe ranging to Morocco in the south and eastern Asia in the east.
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