Acantholeucania loreyi (Duponchel, 1827)


Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Gomera 2013) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Gomera 2013) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (Madeira, Sao Lourenco, März 2013) [N] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Gomera 2013) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Young larva (La Palma, December 2010) [M] Acantholeucania loreyi: Young larva (La Palma, December 2010) [M] Acantholeucania loreyi: Half-grown larva (La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Half-grown larva (La Gomera 2013) [M] Acantholeucania loreyi: Half-grown larva (La Gomera 2013) [M] Acantholeucania loreyi: Half-grown larva (La Gomera 2013) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva (La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva (La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Young larva (La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Young larva (La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva (La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Young larva (La Palma, December 2010) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva (e.l. La Gomera 2013) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva (e.l. La Gomera 2013) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva, heavily sketched form, La Palma, December 2010), resulted in a typical A. loreyi. [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva, heavily sketched form, La Palma, December 2010), resulted in a typical A. loreyi. [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva, heavily sketched form, La Palma, December 2010), resulted in a typical A. loreyi. [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larva, heavily sketched form, La Palma, December 2010),  [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Adult (e.l. La Gomera 2013) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Pupa (e.l. La Palma) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Pupa (e.l. La Palma) [S] Acantholeucania loreyi: Feeding pattern on Arundo donax (LÖa Gomera, March 2013). The larva was found in the central stem. [N] Acantholeucania loreyi: Feeding pattern on Arundo donax (LÖa Gomera, March 2013). The larva was found in the central stem. [N] Acantholeucania loreyi: The larva is revealed with the artificial opening of the stem (La Gomera, March 2013) [M] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larval habitat in La Palma (Puerto Naos, December 2010) [N] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larval habitat in La Palma (Puerto Naos, December 2010) [N] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larval habitat in La Palma (Puerto Naos, December 2010) [N] Acantholeucania loreyi: Larval habitat in a barranco in La Gomera in March 2013. [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives primarily on grasses (Poaceae).

Habitat:
Acantholeucania loreyi is found in cultivated land and many grassy habitats, including Arundo donax stocks. I found the caterpillar numerously in La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain) in Puerto Naos in December 2010 on grassy ruderal areas near the coast and in March 2013 in a Barranco in La Gomera on Arundo donax.

Life cycle:
Acantholeucania loreyi can be found year-round in warm areas such as the Canary Islands. I met a moth to a lighted house wall at Christmas 2008 in La Gomera and tracked all ages in December 2010 in La Palma. The young caterpillars can also be found during the day while the older ones are active at night and must be searched with a pocket lamp. In La Gomera I observed in the case of Arundo donax (March 2013) that the larvae rested preferably in the reed stems if they had been cut and already driven out again from the next nod (feeding scars).

Remarks:
The total distribution is palaeotropical to subtropical. Acantholeucania loreyi occurs in Southern Europe, Africa (including Canary Islands and Madeira), and south Asia.


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