Catocala conversa (Esper, 1783)


Catocala conversa: Adult (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Adult (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Adult (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Young larva (Sardinia, May 2012) [M] Catocala conversa: Young larva (Sardinia, May 2012) [M] Catocala conversa: Young larva (Sardinia, Montiferru, May 2012) [M] Catocala conversa: Half-grown larva (Sardinia, May 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Half-grown larva (Sardinia, May 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Half-grown larva (Sardinia, May 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva in penultimate instar in moult rest into the last instar (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva in daunting posture [S] Catocala conversa: Larva (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva, light form (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva, light form (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva, light form (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva, light form (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Larva, light form (e.l. Sardinia 2012) [S] Catocala conversa: Pupa, cocoon removed [S] Catocala conversa: Larval habitat on Montiferru in Sardinia, May 2012: Quercus ilex at sunny woodland margin. [N] Catocala conversa: Larval habitat in a well preserved Quercus ilex woodland on Mount Montiferru in 1000m above sea level (Sardinia, May 2012) [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillars live on Quercus species, particularly Quercus ilex (holm oak).

Habitat:
Catocala conversa inhabits warm oak forests. In Sardinia, I found caterpillars in a holm oak forest at 1000m above sea level in the Montiferru region in the second half of May 2012.

Life cycle:
The egg overwinters. The caterpillars live from April to June. They apparently prefer bushy, well sunlit oaks and occur in an almost black and a significantly lighter form. The moths fly from June to August.

Remarks:
Catocala conversa occurs from North Africa across Southern Europe (local north to Central France) and Asia Minor into Central Asia.



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