Agrotis lanzarotensis Pinker, 1962

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives mostly polyphagous on winter herbs in the dunes. I observed feeding on Calendula and Rumex.

Habitat:
Agrotis lanzarotensis is bound to sandy areas and is therefore found mainly in coastal areas. In Fuerteventura it is south and west of Costa Calma common in some years.

Life cycle:
Most moths fly in winter. I found the caterpillars numerous in early February 2010 on the basis of feeding traces within a radius of 10cm around the plant shallow buried in the sand during the day. Here they are also safe from dust storms. The mature caterpillars aestivate mostly, so that at most only a few moths are flying in the summer. The host plant resources are then very limited. The mass development is dependent on the therophyts that are triggered by winter rains from January to April.

Endangerment factors:
Agrotis lanzarotensis is severely threatened by tourism. Thus, even today new hotels are built in dunes area. Additionally math bathing is a problem. In Gran Canaria, Agrotis lanzarotensis is certainly just before the extinction, as the remnants of the sand dunes of Maspalomas are indeed protected, but are still harassed further. In Fuerteventura, Agrotis lanzarotensis is threatened a little less, because sand dunes are extensively available.

Remarks:
Agrotis lanzarotensis is endemic to the eastern Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, rare in southern Gran Canaria).