Nycteola siculana (Fuchs, 1899)


Nycteola siculana: Adult (e.l. Valais 2012) [S] Nycteola siculana: Adult (e.l. Valais 2012) [S] Nycteola siculana: Adult (e.l. Valais 2012) [S] Nycteola siculana: Adult (e.l. Spanish East Pyrenees, larva in mid-July 2013) [S] Nycteola siculana: Adult (e.l. Spanish East Pyrenees, larva in mid-July 2013) [S] Nycteola siculana: Half-grown larva (Valais, Simplon, 15/06/2012)  [M] Nycteola siculana: Larva (e.l. Valais, June 2012) [S] Nycteola siculana: Larva (e.l. Valais, June 2012) [S] Nycteola siculana: Larva (e.l. Valais, June 2012) [S] Nycteola siculana: Larva (e.l. Valais, June 2012) [S] Nycteola siculana: Larva (Valais 2012) [M] Nycteola siculana: Larva (Spanish East Pyrenees, mid-July 2013) [M] Nycteola siculana: Larva (Spanish East Pyrenees, mid-July 2013) [M] Nycteola siculana: Cocoon (e.l. Valais 2012) [S] Nycteola siculana: Larval habitat in the Upper Valais (Simplon) on 15/06/2012: rocky embankment with sprouting small Salix which had been cut a year ago. [N] Nycteola siculana: Larval habitat (Spanish East Pyrenees, mid-July 2013) [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives in loosely woven young shoots of mostly Salix species and rarer according to literature Populus species (both Salicaceae). I found the caterpillar on Salix caprea (Valais 2012) and Salix purpurea (Spanish East Pyrenees).

Habitat:
Nycteola siculana inhabits gravel plains and other willow rich, but rather warm and mostly dry habitats. I found caterpillars in Upper Valais on a rocky slope in loose pine mixed forest in the previous year cut, sprouting again young sallow (Salix caprea) in June 2012. At the site also occurred Polyommatus pylaon trappi.

Life cycle:
The moths overwinter. The caterpillars live from May to early July. Probably regionally and seasonally a at least partial second generation is added with moths from late June to August. The caterpillars exhibit the same behaviour as those of Nycteola degenerana and live in small groups of 1-4 caterpillars (usually 2) in spun shoot tips. Pupation takes place on leaves, branches, or even close to the ground in the for the Nolidae so typical boat-shaped cocoon.

Remarks:
Nycteola siculana occurs from north Africa across parts of Southern and Central Europe to Siberia. Its sites are always fairly locally and records partly are only due to immigration (mainly north of the Alps).



Nycteola asiatica | Nycteola columbana | Nycteola degenerana | Nycteola revayana