Apamea sublustris (Esper, 1788)


Apamea sublustris: Adult (Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, e.l. 2010) [S] Apamea sublustris: Adult (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, e.l. 2010) [S] Apamea sublustris: Adult (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb) [S] Apamea sublustris: Adult drying its wings (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb) [S] Apamea sublustris: Adult (Kanisfluh, Vorarlberg, West Austria, July 2008) [M] Apamea sublustris: Adult (e.l. southwestern Swabian Alb, larva in April 2011) [S] Apamea sublustris: Adult (e.l. SW-Swabian Alb, Germany 2011) [S] Apamea sublustris: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb) [M] Apamea sublustris: Larva (SW-Swabian Alb, April 2011) [S] Apamea sublustris: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb) [M] Apamea sublustris: Larva (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb 2008) [S] Apamea sublustris: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, April 2010) [S] Apamea sublustris: Larva (SW-Swabian Alb, Germany, early April 2011) [S] Apamea sublustris: Larva (SW-Swabian Alb, Germany, early April 2011) [S] Apamea sublustris: Larva (SW-Swabian Alb, Germany, early April 2011) [S] Apamea sublustris: Pupa (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany) [S] Apamea sublustris: Pupa [S] Apamea sublustris: Pupa (e.l. SW-Swabian Alb 2011) [S] Apamea sublustris: Kremaster (e.l. SW-Swabian Alb, Germany 2011) [S] Apamea sublustris: Kremaster [S] Apamea sublustris: Pupa (Kremasterregion) [S] Apamea sublustris: Larval habitat on the Swabian Alb (April 2010): I found a mature larva in the Festuca tussock. [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Poaceae, maybe also Cyperaceae. I found a caterpillar on a limestone grassland (Heidenheim, eastern Swabian Alb) on Festuca guestfalica (Festuca ovina agg.) in February 2008. I observed several caterpillars on the same plant in the Swabian Alb in April 2010.

Habitat:
Apamea sublustris inhabits grassy, rather extensively used areas such as nutrient-poor grasslands, roadsides, embankments, ruderal terrain and hayfields. The caterpillars are often observed on rocky places on Festuca ovina agg., but this reflects only a small part of the potential larval habitats.

Life cycle:
Apamea sublustris flies from June to August. The caterpillar overwinters apparently in penultimate instar (observation in early February), and lives concealed in a cavity at the base of grass clumps.

Remarks:
Apamea sublustris is widespread in Europe and is also found in Asia Minor.

Hints on determination:
Apamea sublustris is similar to Apamea lithoxylaea. But the latter has a more whitish-yellow and less yellowish-brown base colour. The lithoxylaea-larva is more clear, less dirty-brownish in colour. The pupae can be distiinguished easily: Apamea sublustris has a broad flat cremaster with four more or less equal hooks (outer ones a bit less developed). The cremaster of Apamea lithoxylaea is much smaller with only two major hooks.



Apamea aquila | Apamea characterea | 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 unanimis | Apamea zeta 
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