Agrochola macilenta (Hübner, 1809)


Agrochola macilenta: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2010) [S] Agrochola macilenta: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2010) [S] Agrochola macilenta: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2010) [S] Agrochola macilenta: Young larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, April 2010) [S] Agrochola macilenta: Half-grown larva (in moult rest, eastern Swabian Alb) [S] Agrochola macilenta: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, 2010) [S] Agrochola macilenta: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, 2010) [S] Agrochola macilenta: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, 2010) [S] Agrochola macilenta: Larva [S] Agrochola macilenta: Larva [S] Agrochola macilenta: Larva [S] Agrochola macilenta: Larval habitat in ash-rich light woodlands at the time of the mature larva in May 2009 (eastern Swabian Alb) [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillar is basically polyphagous. Oviposition takes place generally on woody plants (apparently mainly ash - Fraxinus). I collected the young caterpillars along with those of Atethmia centrago with ash flowers. Later, the caterpillar lives in the herb layer. I found a half-grown caterpillar during the day feeding on Lathyrus pratensis under an ash tree, along with those of Zygaena osterodensis and quite close to the ground.

Habitat:
Agrochola macilenta is a forest ihabitant and lives as a caterpillar in internal edges, on clearings and along trails.

Life cycle:
The eggs overwinter on twigs and the caterpillars live from April to mid-June. The moths fly from the end of August (usually not until September) to early or mid-November.

Remarks:
The distribution extends across large parts of Europe and Western Asia.



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