Aplocera efformata (Guenée, 1858)


Aplocera efformata: Adult (Sandweier, Upper Rhine, September 2011) [M] Aplocera efformata: Adult (Northern Greece, Askio mountains, May 2011) [N] Aplocera efformata: Half-grown larva (e.o. Upper Rhine 2011) [S] Aplocera efformata: Larva (e.o. Upper Rhine 2011) [S] Aplocera efformata: Larva (e.o. Upper Rhine 2011) [S] Aplocera efformata: Larva (e.o. Upper Rhine 2011) [S] Aplocera efformata: Larva (e.o. Upper Rhine 2011) [S] Aplocera efformata: Larva (e.o. Upper Rhine 2011) [S] Aplocera efformata: Habitat at the Upper Rhine: sandy grasslands(September 2011) [N] Aplocera efformata: Habitat at the Upper Rhine: sandy grasslands(September 2011) [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillars live on Hypericum species, especially Hypericum perforatum.

Habitat:
Aplocera efformata inhabits sand and gravel areas as grasslands, gravel pits, railroad facilities, but also hot grasslands on limestone (Northern Greece).

Life cycle:
The moths usually fly in two generations from mid-April to early June and from July to September. In hot years and in southern regions a usually partial third generation is added. I found some adults resting on dry Echium perennials in the Upper Rhine Valley near Sandweier in mid-September 2011. The caterpillar overwinters half-grown.

Endangerment: endangered

Endangerment factors:
Aplocera efformata is considerably in decline due to the decrease in preferred habitats (on the Rhine through expansion of existing settlements, industrial areas, traffic routes, asparagus and other agricultural intensifications).

Remarks:
Aplocera efformata occurs from Morocco across Southern and Central Europe to Asia Minor (Anatolia). To the north, it extends to Southern Scandinavia.

Hints on determination:
The adults are mostly smaller than those of Aplocera plagiata. As a reliable distinguishing mark you can only consider the much shorter abdomen in the field.



Aplocera plagiata | Aplocera praeformata