Polia bombycina (Hufnagel, 1766)


Polia bombycina: Adult (Damüls, western Austria, June 2012) [M] Polia bombycina: Adult (e.l. Hautes-Alpes 2012) [S] Polia bombycina: Adult (e.l. Valais, Switzerland) [S] Polia bombycina: Adult (e.l. Valais, Switzerland, 2008) [S] Polia bombycina: Adult (e.l. Valais, Switzerland, 2008) [S] Polia bombycina: Adult (e.l. Ostalb) [S] Polia bombycina: Young larva (Hautes-Alpes, 1100m asl, September 2012). The young larvae rest on blades and preferredly dry herbs during the day in early autumn. [N] Polia bombycina: Young larva (Hautes-Alpes, 1100m asl, September 2012). The young larvae rest on blades and preferredly dry herbs during the day in early autumn. [N] Polia bombycina: Half-grown larva (Kanisfluh, 03. October 2009) [M] Polia bombycina: Half-grown larva (Kanisfluh, 03. October 2009) [M] Polia bombycina: Half-grown larva (e.l. Hautes-Alpes 2012) [S] Polia bombycina: Half-grown larva (e.l. Hautes Alpes 2012) [S] Polia bombycina: Half-grown larva (e.l. Hautes Alpes 2012) [S] Polia bombycina: Half-grown larva (e.l. Hautes Alpes 2012) [S] Polia bombycina: Half-grown larva (Kanisfluh, October 2009) [S] Polia bombycina: Half-grown larva (Kanisfluh, October 2009) [S] Polia bombycina: Larva (e.l. Hautes Alpes 2012) [S] Polia bombycina: Larva (e.l. Hautes Alpes 2012) [S] Polia bombycina: Larva (e.l. Hautes Alpes 2012) [S] Polia bombycina: Larva (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb). The characteristic redbrown head capsule is not visible here. [S] Polia bombycina: Larva prior to pupation (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb). [S] Polia bombycina: Larva (Valais, Switzerland, April 2008) [M] Polia bombycina: Larva (head) [M] Polia bombycina: Feeding pattern in the spring at Pulsatilla. The larva rests at the ground under mosses and litter. Similar behaviour is observed in P. serratilinea (Valais 2008). [N] Polia bombycina: Pupa (e.l. Valais, Switzerland, 2008) [S] Polia bombycina: Larval habitat in the Hautes-Alpes. In the dry road side verge I observed larvae in September 2012. [N] Polia bombycina: Habitat on the Kanisfluh in May 2010: The larvae were quite numerous in the limestone grasslands, but concealed on the ground during daytime. [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives polyphagous in the herb layer. In the spring it loves to feed on flowers of Pulsatilla as I observed in Valais. It may then climb even on young bushes at night.

Habitat:
Polia bombycina inhabits grasslands, rocky slopes, sandy heaths, bogs and similar only extensively managed habitats.

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters. The moths fly in June and July. I found the young caterpillars in early October 2009 at approximately 1700m above sea level on the west Austrian Kanisfluh quite numerous in the nutrient-poor pastures. After the winter I observed it in April in Valais together with those of Polia serratilinea at the base of Pulsatilla flowers concealed under moss during the day.

Endangerment: regionally endangered or decreasing

Endangerment factors:
Extensive habitats are increasingly reduced, so that Polia bombycina is in decline as so many other insect species.

Remarks:
The distribution extends from the Pyrenees across large parts of Europe (missing for example in central and Southern Italy) and temperate Asia to Japan.



Polia nebulosa | Polia serratilinea | Polia trimaculosa 
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