Anarta myrtilli (Linnaeus, 1761)

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives on Calluna vulgaris (heather).

Habitat:
Anarta myrtilli inhabits sunny Calluna locations as heath bogs, silicate Calluna heaths in the mountains or sandy heaths in the plane.

Life cycle:
The moths fly in one or (usually) two generations from April to early September. The caterpillar lives from the summer to October also open on the plant during the day, but well camouflaged. The pupa overwinters.

Endangerment: regionally endangered or decreasing

Endangerment factors:
In the lowlands, for example in the Upper Rhine Valley, Anarta myrtilli has already lost almost all locations as a result of the intensification of agriculture and the increasingly rampant overbuilding by industry, transportation routes and settlements. In the mountains, Anarta myrtilli is currently threatened even less, though here also constantly habitat area is lost by reforestation, ski runs and other tourist facilities. In the northern Black Forest Anarta myrtilli could benefit from the storm areas in recent decades, but that is currently canceled again with their gradual overgrowth.

Remarks:
Anarta myrtilli is quite widespread in Europe as a whole, but lacks many landscapes completely (limestone areas, etc.). In the south, it is still more local and is missing e.g. in Southern Italy or Greece.