Map-winged swift

Map-winged swift
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Hepialidae
Genus:	Pharmacis
Species:	P. fusconebulosa
Binomial name
	Pharmacis fusconebulosa; (De Geer, 1778)
Synonyms
	List Phalaena fusconebulosa; De Geer, 1778 ; Hepialus fusconebulosus; (De Geer, 1778) ; Hepialus fusconebulosa; (De Geer, 1778) ; Phalaena mappa; Donovan, 1801 ; Hepialus nebulosator; Haworth, 1802 ; Bombyx velleda; Hubner, [1808] ; Hepialus nebolosus; Haworth, 1809 ; Hepialusnebulosus; Haworth, 1828 ; Hepialus gallicus; Lederer, 1852 ; Hepialus askoldensis; Staudinger, 1887 ; Hepialus minor; Staudinger, 1887 ; Hepialus hyperboreus; Valle, 1931 ; Hepialus vallei; Gronblom, 1936 ; Hepialusokninskyi; Ermolajev, 1937 ; Hepialus latefasciatus; Bytinski-Salz, 1939 ; Hepialus ornatus; Bytinski-Salz, 1939 ; Korscheltellus centralis; Viette, 1959 ; Korscheltellus pyreneensis; Viette, 1959 ; Korscheltellus shetlandicus; Viette, 1959 ; Korscheltellus vosgesiacus; Viette, 1959 ; Korscheltellus fusconebulosa; (De Geer, 1778) ;

Last updated August 25, 2024

The map-winged swift (Pharmacis fusconebulosa) is a moth belonging to the family Hepialidae and has a patchy distribution throughout Eurasia. The species was first described by Charles De Geer in 1778. It was previously placed in the genus Hepialus and some references still place it there.

Description

This moth gets its common name from the variegated pattern of the forewing, in various shades of black, brown and white, which look rather like a map (although there are plainer forms). Unlike most hepialids, the pattern is rather similar in both sexes although the female is usually rather larger with a wingspan of up to 50 mm.

The adult flies from May to July (August in the north of the range) and is attracted to light, sometimes strongly so. This species overwinters twice as a larva. This moth is strongly associated with bracken (Pteridium spp.) and it is most frequently encountered in habitats where this plant occurs (e.g. moorland, heathland, open woodland). However the larva, which is a root-feeder, has been recorded on other ferns such as Polystichum , grasses such as red fescue and also on potatoes and probably will feed on a wide range of other plants.

Larvae

Eggs are randomly scattered by the flying female, amongst the foodplant. The larvae have a yellowish-white body with a reddish- or purplish-brown head; thoracic plates are orange as is the body warts which have a short bristle and the spiracles are black. They are subterranean, feeding on the roots and lower stem of the foodplant, and take two years before they pupate. When fully fed they are 30–35 mm long.^[1]

Etymology

The species was first described by the Swedish industrialist and entomologist, Charles De Geer in 1778, from the type specimen found in Houblon, France.^[2] Previously placed in the genus Hepialus – from the Greek; hēpialos – meaning a fever, as in 'the fitful, alternating flight' of the moth. It has since been allocated to the genus Pharmacis .^{[ clarification needed ]} The specific name fusconebulosa – is from fuscus meaning dark and nebulosus – cloudy, referring to the dark markings on the forewing of certain forms of the moth. A subspecies shetlanicus, refers to the Shetland Islands where the subspecies is found.^[3]

Gallery

Figs. 4 4a, 4b larvae after last moult, 4c pupa 4d piece of root of fern ( Pteris aquilina ) burrowed by the larva
Mounted

Notes

^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.

Related Research Articles

The Hepialidae are a family of insects in the lepidopteran order. Moths of this family are often referred to as swift moths or ghost moths.

The ghost moth or ghost swift is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It is common throughout Europe, except for the far south-east.

The common swift is a moth of the family Hepialidae. It was previously placed in the genus Hepialus. It is a common, often abundant European species. The species was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

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 orange swift or orange moth is a moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1761 and was previously placed in the genus Hepialus. It is distributed throughout Europe.

The gold swift is a moth belonging to the family Hepialidae. Until recently it was placed in the genus Hepialus. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. Moths of the Hepialidae are considered to be primitive moths; they do not have a proboscis and are unable to feed. The gold swift is a widespread species found in Europe and Asia, including Japan.

Eriocrania semipurpurella is a moth of the family Eriocraniidae, found from Europe to Japan and in North America. It was first described by James Francis Stephens in 1835. The species closely resembles Eriocrania sangii and the larvae of both species mine the leaves of birch.

Thalera fimbrialis, the Sussex emerald, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae, found in Europe and across the Palearctic to the area surrounding the Amur River in China. It was described by the Italian physician and naturalist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1763.

Eriocrania sangii, the large birch purple, is a moth of the family Eriocraniidae found in Europe and described by John Henry Wood in 1891. The moth can be found flying in sunshine around birch trees and the larvae feed on birch leaves.

Eriocrania sparrmannella also known as the mottled purple is a moth of the family Eriocraniidae, found in Europe and Japan. It was first described by the French entomologist, Louis Augustin Guillaume Bosc in 1791. The specific name honours the Swedish naturalist Anders Erikson Sparrman. The larvae mine the leaves of birch.

Eriocrania unimaculella is a moth of the family Eriocraniidae found in Europe. It was first described by the Swedish naturalist Johan Wilhelm Zetterstedt in 1839. The larvae feed inside the leaves of birch, making a mine.

Eriocrania chrysolepidella is a moth of the family Eriocraniidae found in Europe. It was first described by the German entomologist, Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1851. The larvae mine the leaves of hazel and hornbeam.

Amphipoea crinanensis, also known as the Crinan ear, is a moth of the family Noctuidae, found in Europe. It is one of four species that are difficult to tell apart, requiring the examination of the genitalia. The species was described by Charles Richard Nelson Burrows in 1908.

Stigmella aurella is a moth of the family Nepticulidae found in Africa, Asia and Europe. It was first described by the Danish zoologist, Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. The larvae are leaf miners.

Stigmella sorbi is a moth of the family Nepticulidae, described by Henry Tibbats Stainton in 1861. It is found in most of Europe, east to the eastern part of the Palearctic realm.

Monochroa cytisella is a moth of the family Gelechiidae and found in most of Europe. The larva feed in the stems of bracken causing a slight gall.

Pyropteron muscaeforme, the thrift clearwing, is a moth of the family Sesiidae. It is known from most of Europe.

Coleophora argentula is a moth of the family Coleophoridae, found in most of Europe, Russia and Asia Minor. The larvae live in cases and feed on the seeds of yarrow and sneezewort.

<i>Coptotriche marginea</i> Species of moth

Coptotriche marginea is a moth of the family Tischeriidae, found in most of Europe. It was named by the English botanist, carcinologist and entomologist, Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1828, from a specimen found in England. The larvae mine the leaves of brambles (Rubus) species.

Psychoides verhuella is a moth of the family Tineidae found in Europe. It was first described in 1853, by Charles Théophile Bruand d'Uzelle from a specimen from Besançon, France. It is the type species of the genus Psychoides, also raised by Charles Bruand in 1853. The larvae feed on ferns.

References

↑ Porter, Jim (1997). The Colour Identification Guide to Caterpillars of the British Isles. London: Viking. p. 1. ISBN 0-670-87509-0.
↑ Heath, John (1983). Hepialidae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1. Colchester: Harley Books. pp. 166–70. ISBN 0-946589-15-1.
↑ Emmet, A Maitland (1991). The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Their history and meaning. Colchester: Harley Books. p. 42. ISBN 0-946589-35-6.

Skinner, Bernard (1984). Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles. p. 2. ISBN 0-670-80354-5.
Waring, Paul; Martin Townsend (2003). Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland. pp. 21, 46. ISBN 0-9531399-2-1.

External links

Kimber, Ian. "3.003 BF18 Map-winged Swift Korscheltellus fusconebulosa (De Geer, 1778)". UKMoths. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
Pharmacis fusconebulosa at HOSTS (Caterpillar Hostplants Database) Note this link seems not to be working, as of 28 June 2020
Korscheltellus fusconebulosa at Lepiforum e.V.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] Porter, Jim (1997). The Colour Identification Guide to Caterpillars of the British Isles. London: Viking. p. 1. ISBN 0-670-87509-0.

[mbgbi-2] Heath, John (1983). Hepialidae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1. Colchester: Harley Books. pp. 166–70. ISBN 0-946589-15-1.

[3] Emmet, A Maitland (1991). The Scientific Names of the British Lepidoptera. Their history and meaning. Colchester: Harley Books. p. 42. ISBN 0-946589-35-6.

[1]

[2]

[3]