Xylocampa areola (Esper, 1789)

Host plants:
Tha larva lives on Lonicera species, especially noosing species such as Lonicera periclymenum.

Habitat:
Xylocampa areola inhabits dry, bright woodland, garigues, dry shrub with Lonicera and similar places.

Life cycle:
The adults hibernate already quite developed in the pupal skin and fly early between January/February and mid-May. I observed the young caterpillars already in April in Southern France (Montagne Ste. Victoire, Col de Vence) and in Sardinia in May 2012. They still live until mid-June and then prepare their pupal shelter on the soil.

Endangerment factors:
Xylocampa areola is locally endangered in the north due to forestal intensification. In the south, it is still quite common.

Remarks:
In Europe, Xylocampa areola occurs from Spain and Portugal to Southern Scandinavia and Ireland across the western part of Central Europe (France, Germany, parts of Italy incl. Sardinia).