Auchmis detersa (Esper, 1787)


Auchmis detersa: Adult (e.l. Valais 2010) [S] Auchmis detersa: Adult (e.l. Memmingen, Southern Germany) [S] Auchmis detersa: Young larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, October 2011) [S] Auchmis detersa: Young larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, October 2011) [S] Auchmis detersa: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, April 2010) [S] Auchmis detersa: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, April 2010) [S] Auchmis detersa: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, May 2008) [M] Auchmis detersa: Larva (Memmingen, Southern Germany) [M] Auchmis detersa: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, May 2010) [S] Auchmis detersa: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, May 2010) [S] Auchmis detersa: Pupa [S]

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives on Berberis vulgaris and other Berberis species.

Habitat:
Auchmis detersa colonizes riparian forests, bushy pastures, limestone juniper grasslands, hedges, forest edges and other areas with Berberis stocks. In places, Auchmis detersa occurs also in urban areas, where it settles for example in Berberis thunbergii hedges.

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters. I found them in the autumn in the Berberis bushes (eastern Swabian Alb, October 2011) and then in April and May feeding at night and concealed at the base in the litter or under moss during the day. The moth flies from June to August or even early September.

Endangerment: endangered

Endangerment factors:
Auchmis detersa is locally endangered by elimination of Berberis, destruction of riparian forests, intensification of pastures (forest/pasture separation, removal of bushes) and also bush control measures in grasslands by the Nature Conservation (e.g. Swabian Alb, often all bushes are removed). The populations in the human settlement area can only create a partial balance.

Remarks:
Auchmis detersa occurs from the Mediterranean to the German low mountain ranges, especially south of the Main River. Beyond this, Auchmis detersa is found in Northwest Africa and eastward to Siberia.


German version / deutsche Version