Apamea characterea (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

Synonyms/other combinations:
Apamea epomidion

Apamea characterea: Adult [S] Apamea characterea: Adult (e.l. Memmingen 2008) [S] Apamea characterea: Adult [S] Apamea characterea: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2011) [S] Apamea characterea: Young larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, September 2010) [M] Apamea characterea: Young larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, September 2010) Apamea characterea: Larva in October (Memmingen) [M] Apamea characterea: Shelter of a half-grown larva at Brachypodium sylvaticum (Schwäbisch Gmünd, S-Germany) [N] Apamea characterea: Larva [S] Apamea characterea: Larva [S] Apamea characterea: Larva [S] Apamea characterea: Larva cranial [S] Apamea characterea: Pupa [S] Apamea characterea: Habitat: Brachypodium sylvaticum in the undergrowth of a forest (Schwäbisch Gmünd) [N]

Host plants:
The species feeds primarily on Brachypodium sylvaticum, but it accepts other grasses in breeding.

Habitat:
Apamea characterea colonizes especially the undergrowth and inner edges of montainous forests with occurrence of Brachypodium sylvaticum. Here I found caterpillars together with such of Pararge aegeria in fairly low light forests along trails.

Life cycle:
The young caterpillars live at first (August to early or mid-October) in the rolled grass leaves (by fine webs). These shelters are especially created for moulting. Later, they live concealed on the ground feed at night the leaves and especially the dew moistened fruits. In early December they are mostly grown, but sometimes feed until around March/early April.

Endangerment factors:
Apamea characterea is not endangered. It is much more common than believed. I found it by search for larvae yet in any random sample forest (Schwäbisch Gmünd, Heidenheim, Memmingen).

Remarks:
The total distribution stretches from Europe through temperate Asia to eastern Siberia. In Europe it occurs mainly in the center and in the north to about southern Sweden and Scotland quite widespread (but also some gaps). In the south, it is rare and limited to the humid mountains (missing in the Iberian Peninsula).



Apamea aquila | Apamea crenata | Apamea furva | Apamea illyria | Apamea lateritia | Apamea lithoxylaea | Apamea maillardi | Apamea monoglypha | Apamea platinea | Apamea ramonae | Apamea remissa | Apamea rubrirena | Apamea scolopacina | Apamea sordens | Apamea sphagnicola | Apamea sublustris | Apamea unanimis | Apamea zeta 
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