''Endromis'' is a
monotypic moth genus in the family
Endromidae
Endromidae is a family of moths. It was long considered to be a monotypic family, containing just one species, the Kentish glory, '' Endromis versicolora'', found throughout the Palaearctic regio The family now consists of several genera and abou ...
erected by
Ferdinand Ochsenheimer in 1810. Its only species, ''Endromis versicolora'', the Kentish glory, was described by
Carl Linnaeus in his 1758
10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. It is found in the
Palaearctic region.
The
wingspan is 50–70 mm. The adults fly from March to May. Females are much larger and paler than males and fly only at night in order to lay eggs. Males, which fly both by night and day, can detect female
pheromones from a distance up to 2 km.
Yellow at first, then purplish-brown eggs are laid in two or three rows around a thin birch branch. After 10 to 14 days little black caterpillars hatch.
The
caterpillar
Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths).
As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sym ...
s primarily feed on
birch (''Betula'' species), but accept other trees and shrubs: ''
Alnus'', ''
Corylus'', ''
Tilia
''Tilia'' is a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes, native throughout most of the temperateness, temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree is known as linden for the European species, and basswood for North American species. In Britain a ...
'' and ''
Carpinus'' species. It is green with paler stripes. At first it feeds in small groups of 15 to 30 larvae, but mature caterpillars feed individually and only at night.
''Endromis versicolora'' has a single generation per year; it overwinters as a
pupa in a thin loose strong cocoon buried shallowly in the soil.
Endromis versicolora MHNT.CUT.2011.0.446. Male.Allier (Hautes-Pyrénées) Dos.jpg, Male dorsal side, MHNT
Endromis versicolora MHNT.CUT.2011.0.446. Male.Allier (Hautes-Pyrénées) ventre.jpg, Male ventral side, MHNT
Endromis versicolora MHNT.CUT.2011.0.446. female.Allier (Hautes-Pyrénées) Dos.jpg, Female dorsal side, MHNT
Endromis versicolora MHNT.CUT.2011.0.446. female.Allier (Hautes-Pyrénées) Ventre.jpg, Female ventral side, MHNT
External links
"67.001 BF1644 Kentish Glory ''Endromis versicolora'' (Linnaeus, 1758)" ''UKMoths''.
''Fauna Europaea''"06784 ''Endromis versicolora'' (Linnaeus, 1758) - Birkenspinner" ''Lepiforum e.V.''
Endromidae
Moths of Asia
Moths of Europe
Macro-moths of Great Britain
Moths described in 1758
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Monotypic moth genera
{{Bombycoidea-stub