Malacosoma alpicola Staudinger, 1870


Malacosoma alpicola: Female (southern Austria, Karawanken, Kosiak, 2000m asl, August 2012) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Female (southern Austria, Karawanken, Kosiak, 2000m asl, August 2012) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Female (e.l. western Austria, Damüls, Larva in June 2012) [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Male [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Female [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Female [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Eggs (western Austria, Silvretta, 2300m asl, late September 2012) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Eggs (western Austria, Silvretta, 2300m asl, late September 2012) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Eggs (W-Austrian Alps) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Ovae [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Young nest of larvae (Kanisfluh, W-Austria, 1800m above sea level, May 2010) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Young nest of larvae (Kanisfluh, 1800m above sea level, May 2010) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Larva (Valais, 2000m above sea level, late June 2010) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Larva (Valais, 2000m above sea level, late June 2010) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Larva (western Austria, Damüls, June 2012) [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Larva (western Austria, Damüls, June 2012) [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Larva (western Austria, Damüls, June 2012) [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Larva (western Austria, Damüls, June 2012) [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Cocoon (e.l. western Austria, Damüls 2012) [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Cocoon [S] Malacosoma alpicola: Habitat in the west Bavarian Alps (Allgäu, August 2012) [N] Malacosoma alpicola: Habitat in the Silvretta region in western Austria (2300m asl, late September 2012) [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillars live polyphagous on herbs and dwarf shrubs, often on Alchemilla or Geranium sp.

Habitat:
Malacosoma alpicola colonizes alpine meadows, pastures, forb communities and rocky slopes from around 1000m above sea level upwards.

Life cycle:
The eggs overwinter similar as with Malacosoma castrensis. The caterpillars are often numerous on the mountain meadows in the early summer. Adults are observed from July to September.

Remarks:
Malacosoma alpicola has a disjunct distribution in mountains (Morocco, Spain, France, Alps, Balkans) and extends to Central Asia.



Malacosoma castrensis | Malacosoma franconica | Malacosoma neustria