Abrostola triplasia (Linnaeus, 1758)


Abrostola triplasia: Adult (e.l. Lautrach near Memmingen 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Adult (Illerbeuren, S-Germany, garden, June 2010) [M] Abrostola triplasia: Adult (Illerbeuren, S-Germany, garden, June 2010) [M] Abrostola triplasia: Adult (Illerbeuren, S-Germany, garden, June 2010) [M] Abrostola triplasia: Adult (e.l. Lautrach bei Memmingen 2012) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Adult (e.l. Lautrach bei Memmingen 2012) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Young larva (Lautrach near Memmingen, October 2011) [M] Abrostola triplasia: Young larva (Lautrach near Memmingen, Germany, July 2012) [M] Abrostola triplasia: Half-grown larva (Lautrach near Memmingen, October 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Half-grown larva (Lautrach near Memmingen, October 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Half-grown larva (Lautrach near Memmingen, October 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Half-grown larva (Lautrach near Memmingen, October 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva in last instar (Lautrach, October 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva (e.l. Lautrach near Memmingen 2012) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva in last instar (Lautrach, October 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva in last instar (Lautrach, October 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva in last instar (Lautrach, October 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva (e.l. Upper Rhine 2012) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva (e.l. Upper Rhine 2012) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva (Allgäu) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larva (e.l. Lautrach near Memmingen 2012) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Pupa (ex Lautrach 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Pupa (ex Lautrach 2011) [S] Abrostola triplasia: Larval habitat at the stream Rems east of Schwäbisch Gmünd (October 2011). Der corn field extends directly to the stream embankment and thus there remains only a small Urtica verge. [N] Abrostola triplasia: Larval habitat in the Upper Rhine Valley (September 2012). Here I found syntopically Abrostola tripartita. [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Urtica dioica.

Habitat:
Typical larval habitats are nettle fringes in forests, hedges, along streams, margins and also partly in open country or in not too clean gardens.

Life cycle:
Abrostola triplasia has two generations, of which the second is usually not complete. The moths fly mostly from May to September. Caterpillars are increasingly found from July to early October. The pupa overwinters. In mid- and late October 2011 I observed still quite small caterpillars several times on stream banks (Unterallgäu, Ostalbkreis, both Germany), which originate from late September moths and should reach maturity and pupation in the field only partially.

Remarks:
The moth is widespread and often common at lower altitudes. It rises in the mountains not as high as Abrstola tripartita. The overall distribution ranges from Northwest Africa across nearly all of Europe to Eastern Siberia.



Abrostola asclepiadis | Abrostola canariensis | Abrostola tripartita 
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