Lycophotia porphyrea (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)


Lycophotia porphyrea: Adult [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Adult [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Half-grown larva (northern Black Forest, early October 2010) [M] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva in penultimate instar (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [M] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva in penultimate instar (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [M] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [M] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [M] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [M] Lycophotia porphyrea: Female (northern Black Forest, larva in early October 2010) [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larva (northern Black Forest, October 2010) [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Pupa [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Pupa dorsal [S] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larval habitat in the northern Black Forest, October 2010 [N] Lycophotia porphyrea: Larval habitat in the northern Black Forest: wind blast area with boulders, Calluna and Vaccinium, October 2010 [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on Calluna vulgaris (heather) and more rarely species of Erica (Erica tetralix, etc.).

Habitat:
Lycophotia porphyrea inhabits at least superficially acidic soils with Calluna stocks. These include heath bogs, sandy areas or pastures, woodland clearings and edges as well as Nardus grasslands in siliceous mountain ranges such as the Black Forest. Lycophotia porphyrea is able to cope even with relatively small areas such as superficially decalcified areas in juniper grasslands of the Swabian Alb.

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters between half and and fully-grown already in the cocoon. It is observed from August to October, and - more rarely - again in the spring from March to May. I found very many larvae in the Black Forest in early October 2010 (semi to almost fully-grown). The best method of detection is to tap older, sunny Calluna bushes.

The moths fly from June to August. They visit flowers sometimes during the day, but are mostly nocturnal.

Endangerment: endangered

Endangerment factors:
Lycophotia porphyrea is regionally endangered particularly in areas with only small Calluna populations through afforestation, succession, agricultural intensification and overbuilding. So it has lost well over 90% of their former habitats in the German Upper Rhine Valley with the vanishing of sandy grasslands. Lycophotia porphyrea is still hardly endangered only in areas with large-scale Calluna occurrence as the siliceous mountain ranges, the central Alps, larger bog complexes and in northern Europe.

Remarks:
Lycophotia porphyrea is widespread in central, eastern and Northern Europe. To the south, it occurs to Northern Spain, Northern Italy and Northern Greece.


German version / deutsche Version