The longhorn moth or yellow-barred long-horn (''Nemophora degeerella'') is a
diurnal lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...
n from the
moth
Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not Butterfly, butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is Paraphyly, paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (s ...
s family
Adelidae
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, ...
(fairy longhorn moths).
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.
[
]
Description
The wingspan of ''Nemophora degeerella'' ranges from in males, from in females.[ Naturkundliches Informationssystem]
/ref>
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.[
''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.][
]
Biology
These moths fly in the day. The flight period ranges from May to July. 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 ...
feeds on birch
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 3 ...
leaf litter.Leucanthemum vulgare
''Leucanthemum vulgare'', commonly known as the ox-eye daisy, oxeye daisy, dog daisy, marguerite (, "common marguerite") and other common names, is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia, and an introduced ...
'' and nettles. This species has a single annual generation (univoltine
Voltinism is a term used in biology to indicate the number of broods or generations of an organism in a year. The term is most often applied to insects, and is particularly in use in sericulture, where silkworm varieties vary in their voltinism.
...
). Hibernation takes place in the form larvae in a cocoon of leaves.
Etymology
The specific epithet honours Charles De Geer
Charles De Geer (30 January 1720 – 7 March 1778) was an entomology, entomologist, industrialist, civil servant and book collecting, book collector. He is sometimes referred to as Charles the Entomologist, to distinguish him from other relati ...
.
Gallery
File: Nemophora degeerella-07 (xndr).jpg , Lateral view
File:Nemophora degeerella.jpg , Mating pair
File:Nemophora.degeerella.male.jpg , Male with its long filiform antennae
File: Nemophora degeerella BE-MK-7-319a.jpg , Museum specimen
References
Bibliography
*
* L.N. Perette, F. Spill et M. Rauch, Les Papillons de la Réserve de la Biosphère des Vosges du Nord, Eguelshardt, Cicogna, 33
* Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae, Ed. X. (Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata.) Holmiae. Systema Nat. ed. 10 i-ii + 1-824.
*
*Küppers, P. V. 1980. Untersuchungen zur Taxonomie und Phylogenie der Westpaläarktischen Adelinae (Lepidoptera: Adelidae), Dissertation, Wissenschaftliche Beiträge Karlsruhe, Verlag M.Wahl, Karlsruhe.
*Kurz, M. A. & M. E. Kurz 2000–2010. Naturkundliches Informationssystem.
External links
Norfolk MothsFunet
Taxonomy
''Nemophora degeerella''
on YouTube
Lepiforum.de
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q939526
Adelidae
Moths described in 1758
Moths of Europe
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus