Eublemma cochylioides (Guenée, 1852)

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on Asteraceae, particularly Launaea arborescens.

Habitat:
Eublemma cochylioides inhabits semi-arid areas of all kinds. In Fuerteventura I met moths and caterpillars in February 2011 in a plant-rich Barranco at Launaea arborescens and in rocky, very dry slopes with the same plant. In La Gomera, I tapped a moth and several caterpillars in a dry ravine near Santiago also from Launea arborescens (December 2011).

Life cycle:
Eublemma cochylioides should fly in the south in several generations per year (with a maximum in the wetter winter months). In southern Europe a single generation is reported in literature in the autumn from September to November.

The caterpillars live between spun flower and fruit parts of the host plants and are hard to find in the Launaea bushes.

Remarks:
Eublemma cochylioides occurs in Africa (including Canary Islands), the warmer Asia and Australia. In Europe, very few occurrences are known along the Mediterranean coast. The moth is still most common in Southern Spain and southern Portugal.