Acronicta alni (Linnaeus, 1767)


Acronicta alni: Adult (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, larva in September 2015) [S] Acronicta alni: Adult (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, larva in September 2015) Acronicta alni: Adult (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, larva in September 2015) [S] Acronicta alni: Young larva (Memmingen, Southern Germany) [M] Acronicta alni: Larva (S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, September 2015) [M] Acronicta alni: Larva (S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, September 2015) [M] Acronicta alni: Larva (S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, September 2015) [M] Acronicta alni: Larva in last instar (Memmingen) [S] Acronicta alni: Larva (S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, September 2015) [M] Acronicta alni: Larva (S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, September 2015) [M] Acronicta alni: Larva (S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, September 2015) [M] Acronicta alni: Pupa (e.l. rearing S-Germany, Kronburg near Memmingen, September 2015) [S]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Betulaceae (Betula, Alnus and Corylus) and more rarely also other deciduous woods.

Habitat:
Acronicta alni inhabits riparian forests, swamp forests and other forests with the larval host plants as well as parks and gardens.

Life cycle:
The moths fly in one to two generations per year. The pupa overwinters. I found larvae mostly in July and August on Alnus incana, A. glutinosa and Corylus avellana along rivers coming from the Alps (Iller, SW-Bavaria). The caterpillars are resting on the upper leaf surface. In young stages they imitate a bird blob.

Endangerment factors:
Acronicta alni is widespread. Despite some significant declines (destruction of the wetlands, dark forest management under eradication of economically uninteresting softwoods) the moth is still not seriously threatened.

Remarks:
The moth occurs from Northern Spain to Japan.



Acronicta aceris | Acronicta auricoma | Acronicta cuspis | Acronicta euphorbiae | Acronicta leporina | Acronicta megacephala | Acronicta menyanthidis | Acronicta orientalis | Acronicta psi | Acronicta rumicis | Acronicta tridens 
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