''Meganola albula'', the Kent black arches, is a
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 ...
of the family
Nolidae
Nolidae is a family of moths with about 1,700 described species worldwide. They are mostly small with dull coloration, the main distinguishing feature being a silk cocoon with a vertical exit slit. The group is sometimes known as tuft moths, aft ...
. The species was
first described by
Michael Denis
Johann Nepomuk Cosmas Michael Denis, also: ''Sined the Bard'', (27 September 1729 – 29 September 1800) was an Austrian Catholic priest and Jesuit, who is best known as a poet, bibliographer, and lepidopterist.
Life
Denis was born at Schärdin ...
and
Ignaz Schiffermüller
Jeremias "Johann" Ignaz Schiffermüller (; 2 November 1727 – 21 June 1806) was an Austrian naturalist and Jesuit teacher who took a special interest in the Lepidoptera. In order to describe the colours of butterflies, he also looked for a syste ...
in 1775. It is found in the
Palearctic realm
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is a biogeographic realm of the Earth, the largest of eight. Confined almost entirely to the Eastern Hemisphere, it stretches across Europe and Asia, north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa.
The ...
(Europe, Asia Minor, Iran, Caucasus, Russian Far East, Japan).
Description
The
wingspan
The wingspan (or just span) of a bird or an airplane is the distance from one wingtip to the opposite wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777–200 has a wingspan of , and a wandering albatross (''Diomedea exulans'') caught in 1965 had a wingsp ...
is 18–24 mm. The length of the forewings is 10–11 mm.
The wings are short and wide, the forewings whitish or white-grey in ground colour. The midfield usually stands out distinctively dark brown, with a narrow middle band sometimes appearing even darker. The postdiscal region and the marginal area shimmer light brown. Ring, kidney and cone blemishes (orbicular, reniform (kidney shaped), and claviform discal marks) are absent or hardly recognizable. The hind wings are monochromatic white-grey and darkened at the edge. Male moths have combed antennae, while female moths have thread-like antennae. The palps are bright and conspicuously long.
Biology
The moth flies in one generation from mid-June to August .
The larvae feed on ''
Rubus
''Rubus'' is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, subfamily Rosoideae, most commonly known as brambles. Fruits of various species are known as raspberries, blackberries, dewberries, and bristleberries. ...
'',
''
Fragaria vesca
''Fragaria vesca'', commonly called the wild strawberry, woodland strawberry, Alpine strawberry, Carpathian strawberry or European strawberry, is a Perennial plant, perennial herbaceous plant in the Rosaceae, rose family that grows naturally thro ...
'' and ''
Vaccinium
''Vaccinium'' is a common and widespread genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The fruits of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry (wh ...
'' species.
Since the 19th-century, it has spread north being first recorded in England in 1859, Denmark 1938,
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein (; ; ; ; ; occasionally in English ''Sleswick-Holsatia'') is the Northern Germany, northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical Duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of S ...
1945 and
Gotland
Gotland (; ; ''Gutland'' in Gutnish), also historically spelled Gottland or Gothland (), is Sweden's largest island. It is also a Provinces of Sweden, province/Counties of Sweden, county (Swedish län), Municipalities of Sweden, municipality, a ...
1949
Notes
#''The flight season refers to
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
and the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
. This may vary in other parts of the range.''
References
External links
*
''Lepidoptera of Belgium''''Lepiforum e. V.''''De Vlinderstichting''
Nolinae
Moths described in 1775
Moths of Asia
Moths of Europe
Moths of Japan
Taxa named by Michael Denis
Taxa named by Ignaz Schiffermüller
{{Nolidae-stub