Longhorn moth

Last updated

Longhorn moth
Adelidae - Nemophora degeerella - male.JPG
Nemophora degeerella, male
Adelidae - Nemophora degeerella - female.JPG
Nemophora degeerella, female
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Adelidae
Genus: Nemophora
Species:
N. degeerella
Binomial name
Nemophora degeerella
Synonyms
  • Phalaena (Tinea) degeerellaLinnaeus, 1758

The longhorn moth or yellow-barred long-horn (Nemophora degeerella) is a diurnal lepidopteran from the moths family Adelidae (fairy longhorn moths). [1]

Contents

Distribution and habitat

This species is present on most of Europe, but it is fairly common in north west Europe. The habitat of these moths is damp deciduous forests with wooded lanes and hedgerows. [2] [3]

Description

The wingspan of Nemophora degeerella ranges from 18–20 millimetres (0.71–0.79 in) in males, from 15–18 millimetres (0.59–0.71 in) in females. [3] The head is dark brown, with dark and yellow hair-like scales. The thorax has a bronzy golden shining. Forewings are shiny bronzy golden yellow or shiny ochreous with longitudinal dark brown and lead-gray blueish-violet shining streaks. A yellow transversal band cross the whole forewings, framed by two lead-gray blueish-violet shining stripes with a dark brown border. The three longitudinal lead-gray, blueish-violet shining stripes situated in the basal part of the wings do not treach the transversal fascia. Rear wings are brownish gray. [4] The longhorn moth males have filiform antennae ranging up to five times their body length, while the female has much shorter antennae. Moreover in the females the basal part of the antennae is thickened by black scales, while the tip is white. [4]

Nemophora degeerella is very similar to Nemophora congruella but N. congruella is slightly smaller, the forewing markings are bright yellow and the band is located closer to the base. In the females of N. congruella is missing the beard-like scales present in the basal part of the antennae of the females of N. degeerella. Also Adela croesella is very similar, but it is much smaller and more colorful. The gray blueish-violet stripes are at least as wide as the yellow central band. [4]

Biology

These moths fly in the day. The flight period ranges from May to July. The caterpillar feeds on birch leaf litter. [5] The adult moth feeds on Persicaria bistorta , Leucanthemum vulgare and nettles. This species has a single annual generation (univoltine). Hibernation takes place in the form larvae in a cocoon of leaves.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelidae</span> Family of moths

The Adelidae or fairy longhorn moths are a family of monotrysian moths in the lepidopteran infraorder Heteroneura. The family was first described by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle in 1851. Most species have at least partially metallic patterns coloration and are diurnal, sometimes swarming around the tips of branches with an undulating flight. Others are crepuscular and have a drab coloration. Fairy longhorn moths have a wingspan of 4–28 millimeters, and males often have especially long antennae, 1–3 times as long as the forewing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nine-spotted moth</span> Species of moth

The nine-spotted moth or yellow belted burnet is a moth in the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

<i>Macaria wauaria</i> Species of moth

Macaria wauaria, the V-moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It has a Holarctic distribution. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

<i>Rhodometra sacraria</i> Species of moth

Rhodometra sacraria, the vestal, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1767 12th edition of Systema Naturae.

<i>Spiris striata</i> Species of moth

Spiris striata, the feathered footman, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

<i>Calliteara pudibunda</i> Species of moth

Calliteara pudibunda, the pale tussock, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The Dutch common name for the moth (Meriansborstel) comes from the butterfly and insect painter Maria Sibylla Merian. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found in Asia and Europe.

<i>Micropterix aglaella</i> Moth species in family Micropterigidae

Micropterix aglaella is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae.It is found in southern France, south-western Switzerland and northern Italy.

<i>Actebia praecox</i> Species of moth

Actebia praecox, the Portland moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found in northern and central Europe, the Caucasus, central Asia, Siberia, Kamchatka, Sakhalin, the Kuriles, northern Turkey, Mongolia, China, Korea and Japan.

<i>Adela croesella</i> Species of moth

Adela croesella is a moth of the family Adelidae. It is found in most of Europe.

Nemophora selasphora is a moth of the Adelidae family. It is found in Queensland.

Nemophora opalina is a moth of the family Adelidae first described by Edward Meyrick in 1912. It is found in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland.

Nemophora polydaedala is a moth of the Adelidae family. It is found in Queensland.

Nemophora panaeola is a moth of the Adelidae family. It is found in Queensland.

<i>Chlorissa viridata</i> Species of moth

Chlorissa viridata, the small grass emerald, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found from western Europe to the eastern Palearctic.

<i>Nemophora</i> Moth genus in family Adelidae

Nemophora is a genus of the fairy longhorn moth family (Adelidae). Among these, it belongs to subfamily Adelinae.

<i>Nemophora cupriacella</i> Species of moth

Nemophora cupriacella is a moth of the family Adelidae that is found in most of Europe.

<i>Nemophora fasciella</i> Species of moth

Nemophora fasciella is a moth of the Adelidae family. It is found in most of Europe, except Ireland, Fennoscandia, most of the Baltic region, Croatia, Slovenia, Switzerland and Portugal.

<i>Nemophora minimella</i> Species of moth

Nemophora minimella is a moth of the Adelidae family. It is found in most of Europe, except Estonia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Switzerland and Portugal.

<i>Nemophora congruella</i> Species of moth

Nemophora congruella is a moth of the Adelidae family.

<i>Trachyderes succinctus</i> Species of beetle

Trachyderes succinctus is a species of beetle in the family Cerambycidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

References

  1. BioLib
  2. "Nemophora degeerella (Linnaeus, 1758)". 2.5. Fauna Europaea. July 23, 2012. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Nemophora degeerella". Nature Spot. Retrieved March 26, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Naturkundliches Informationssystem
  5. "Nemophora degeerella". UK Moths. Retrieved June 15, 2010.

Bibliography