Pseudopanthera macularia (Linnaeus, 1758)


Pseudopanthera macularia: Adult [M] Pseudopanthera macularia: Adult [M] Pseudopanthera macularia: Adult (S-Germany, Adelegg near Isny, June 2014) [N] Pseudopanthera macularia: Adult (S-Germany, Adelegg near Isny, June 2014) [N] Pseudopanthera macularia: Adult (S-Germany, Adelegg near Isny, June 2014) [N] Pseudopanthera macularia: Adult (S-Germany, Adelegg near Isny, June 2014) [N] Pseudopanthera macularia: Adult (S-Germany, Adelegg near Isny, June 2014) [N] Pseudopanthera macularia: Ovum (Adelegg, June 2011) [M] Pseudopanthera macularia: Ovum (Adelegg, June 2011) [M] Pseudopanthera macularia: Young larva (e.o. Adelegg 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Half-grown larva (e.o. 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Half-grown larva (e.o. 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Half-grown larva (e.o. 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Larva in penultimate instar (e.o. 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Larva (e.o. Adelegg 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Larva (e.o. 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Larva (e.o. 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Larva (e.o. 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Pupa (e.o. 2011) [S] Pseudopanthera macularia: Habitat at the margin of a limestone grassland on the Swabian Alb [N] Pseudopanthera macularia: Typical habitat with forb communities (Mentha longifolia) on the Adelegg on the northern edge of the Alps (Juy 2010) [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives on Lamiaceae species. In dry habitats the most important host plants are likely Salvia pratensis and Ajuga geneviensis. In wet forest fringes, I observed oviposition on Mentha longifolia in June 2011.

Habitat:
Pseudopanthera macularia inhabits grove rich grasslands, forb communities, forest edges, stream valleys and similar light, bushy and extensively managed areas.

Life cycle:
The pupa hibernates and the moths appear from late April to early or mid-July in single generation. The caterpillars live quite cryptically and are likely to be observed between June and early September.

Endangerment factors:
Pseudopanthera macularia is in decline especially through dark forest management, in tense agriculture and loss of extensively managed or fallow grasslands. In some regions (Upper Swabia) it has already become rare.

Remarks:
Pseudopanthera macularia is distributed from Western Europe to Central Asia.