Cyclophora pendularia (Clerck, 1759)


Cyclophora pendularia: Adult (e.l. Dettenheim, September 2011) [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Adult (e.l. Dettenheim, September 2011) [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Young larva (Offenburg, SW-Germany, September 2011) [M] Cyclophora pendularia: Young larva (Dettenheim, September 2011) [M] Cyclophora pendularia: Half-grown larva (Dettenheim, June 2011) [M] Cyclophora pendularia: Larva (Dettenheim, September 2011) [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Larva (Dettenheim, September 2011) [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Larva (Dettenheim, September 2011) [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Larva (Dettenheim, September 2011) [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Larva (Dettenheim, September 2011) [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Larva (Dettenheim, September 2011) [M] Cyclophora pendularia: Larva (Dettenheim, September 2011) [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Pupa [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Pupa [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Pupa [S] Cyclophora pendularia: Larval habitat in the northern Upper Rhine Valley near Dettenheim: Salicion cinereae in wetlands. [N] Cyclophora pendularia: Larval habitat in the northern Upper Rhine Valley near Dettenheim: Salicion cinereae in wetlands. [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillars live on rough-leaved willow species. The literature identifies Salix caprea. I found many larvae on gray willow (Salix cinerea) in the northern (Dettenheim) and in the central Upper Rhine valley (Offenburg) in June and September 2011. This is likely to be the most important host plant.

Habitat:
Cyclophora pendularia inhabits especially lowland (below 400-500m above sea level), wet scrub with Salix cinerea (gray willow) as an indicator species, often interspersed with reedbeds and wet meadows. The caterpillars were found particularly in the interior of the bushes and in partially shaded to shady niches. Shadeless branches were rather avoided.

In addition, the literature also mentions riparian forests and other warm humid forest formations as habitat.

Life cycle:
The pupa hibernates. The moths fly in two or three generations from April to early September. The caterpillars can be found between mid-May and early October. They develop very quickly. Own observations were made in June and September (Upper Rhine).

Endangerment: endangered

Endangerment factors:
Cyclophora pendularia is regarded as endangered as fen areas and reed beds with gray willows have become quite rare in many places (urban sprawl, traffic and industry, agricultural intensification with corn, etc.).

Remarks:
Cyclophora pendularia is distributed from the Iberian Peninsula across large parts of Europe (Central Europe, southern half of Scandinavia, more northern parts of Southern Europe) to southern Siberia.



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