Apamea zeta (Treitschke, 1825)


Apamea zeta: Adult (at light, Switzerland, Valais, Täschalpe, 2500m, early July 2019) [M] Apamea zeta: Adult (at light, Switzerland, Valais, Täschalpe, 2500m, early July 2019) [M] Apamea zeta: Adult (at light, Switzerland, Valais, Täschalpe, 2500m, early July 2019) [M] Apamea zeta: Adult (at light, Switzerland, Valais, Täschalpe, 2500m, early July 2019) [M] Apamea zeta: Adult (at light, Switzerland, Valais, Täschalpe, 2500m, early July 2019) [M] Apamea zeta: Half-grown larva (W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [S] Apamea zeta: Half-grown larva (W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [S] Apamea zeta: Larva (W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [S] Apamea zeta: Larva (W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [S] Apamea zeta: Larva (W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [S] Apamea zeta: Larva (e.l. rearing, W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [S] Apamea zeta: Larva (e.l. rearing, W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [S] Apamea zeta: Larval habitat (W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [N] Apamea zeta: Larval habitat (W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [N] Apamea zeta: Larval habitat (W-Austria, Vorarlberg, Silvretta, 2000m, September 2010) [N] Apamea zeta: Habitat (light trap site, Switzerland, Valais, Täschalpe, 2500m, early July 2019) [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on grasses, mostly tufty species. I recorded it on Deschampsia caespitosa (Silvretta, W-Austria), but also on other grasses.

Habitat:
Apamea zeta usually inhabits rocky slopes or other rocky or stony habitats which are interspersed with grassland fragments (1500-3000m, sometimes as low as 1200m).

Life cycle:
The larvae usually hibernate twice. They are already fully-grown prior to the second hibernation. Thus they are able to pupate early in the season. They live in a shelter at the base of the grass tufts. The moths occur between mid-June and late August.

Remarks:
Apamea zeta occurs in the Alps and some higher mountain ranges of S- and SE-Europe (e.g. Pyrenees, Balkans). Taxa from Greenland, northern Europe and eastern regions are today regarded as distinct species.



Apamea aquila | Apamea characterea | Apamea crenata | Apamea furva | Apamea illyria | Apamea lateritia | Apamea lithoxylaea | Apamea maillardi | Apamea monoglypha | Apamea platinea | Apamea ramonae | Apamea remissa | Apamea rubrirena | Apamea scolopacina | Apamea sordens | Apamea sphagnicola | Apamea sublustris | Apamea unanimis 
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