Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Ascotis selenaria

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Kingdom
  
Subphylum
  
Hexapoda

Order
  
Scientific name
  
Ascotis selenaria

Phylum
  
Class
  
Family
  
Geometridae

Rank
  
Subspecies

Ascotis selenaria Bestimmungshilfe des Lepiforums Ascotis Selenaria

Similar
  
Ascotis, Hypomecis, Aplocera, Menophra, Ectropis

Larva di geometridae cfr ascotis selenaria


Ascotis selenaria, the giant looper, is a moth of the family Geometridae.

Contents

ascotis selenaria


Subspecies

Ascotis selenaria Bestimmungshilfe des Lepiforums Ascotis Selenaria

  • Ascotis selenaria dianaria (Hübner, 1817)
  • Ascotis selenaria selenaria (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
  • Ascotis selenaria artemis Staudinger, 1897
  • Ascotis selenaria cretacea (Butler, 1879)
  • Ascotis selenaria reciprocaria (Walker)
  • Ascotis selenaria imparata (Walker)
  • Description

    Ascotis selenaria Krovka palinov Giant looper Ascotis selenaria

    Ascotis selenaria has a wingspan of 38–48 mm. The front wings are characterized by a yellowish-white ground color, with numerous dark grey markings and two brownish sharply toothed transverse lines. The front and rear wings show distinctive moon shaped spots. The color and pattern of the caterpillars vary from green to yellow/green or brown resembling twigs. They have a characteristic bulbous swelling on the thorax and move with a looping motion as usual in measuring worms.

    Ascotis selenaria Image Ascotis selenaria BioLibcz

    The giant looper has two generations per year in southern Europe, flying from April to May and from July to August. The caterpillars can be found from September to October (first generation) and in June–July (second generation). If only one generation is present because of climate conditions, the moths fly from late June to early August, while you can encounter the caterpillars from August to September. The moths are nocturnal.

    Ascotis selenaria httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediacommonsthu

    The caterpillars reach a length up to 55 millimeters. They are polyphagous, feeding mainly on Field Wormwood ( Artemisia campestris), Sambucus sp., Rose ( Rosa sp.), Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus), Broom (Cytisus scoparius), Taraxacum sp., Birch (Betula sp.), Arbutus sp., Pimpinella sp., Clover (Melilotus sp.), Cypress Spurge ( Euphorbia sp.), Acacia ( Mimosa longifolia), Mimosa dealbata, Salvia sp. and Salix glabra. In India, the pest has been reported to infest on Prosopis (Prosopis juliflora), Delonix regia and Sal (Shorea robusta). A nucleopolyhedrovirus suppressing populations of Ascotis seleneria has been reported in India. In many areas they are considered a pest causing serious damages to agriculture. They pupate and overwinter in the soil.

    Distribution

    Ascotis selenaria Bestimmungshilfe des Lepiforums Ascotis Selenaria

    This species is distributed in Southern Europe from Spain and western Mediterranean through the Balkans, in Central Europe, in Eastern Europe up to the Ural mountains, Africa, Anatolia from the Caucasus Mountains up to Altai Mountains, Korea and Japan. It is also reported from India from Dehra Dun in the north and Coimbatore in the south.

    Habitat

    These moths prefer rocky slopes, bushy forest edges and sandy pine forests.

    References

    Ascotis selenaria Wikipedia