Cerastis leucographa (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)


Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Female (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Larva (S-Germany, Stuttgart, 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Larva (S-Germany, Stuttgart, 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Larva (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Larva (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Pupa (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Pupa (e.l. rearing, S-Germany, Stuttgart, larva on 1. July 2021) [S] Cerastis leucographa: Habitat, a larva has been recorded a few meters next to the track in shadowy position (S-Germany, Stuttgart, 1. July 2021) [N]

Host plants:
The larvae are polyphagous in the herb layer and also use low-growing shrubs. I recorded for example a larva on a small Epilobium species in a quite dark spot in a humid forest.

Habitat:
Cerastis leucographa occurs in quite humid and cool habitats like woodlands, wetlands, forbs, edges, stream valleys and similar places up to about 1500m in the Alps.

Life cycle:
The moths hibernate largely developed within the pupa and appear in sprin. The flight time reaches mainly from March to May. The moths often visit flowering Salix bushes. The larvae are rarely recorded. I recorded a still not mature larva in a quite humid forest in Stuttgart on 1. July 2021 (cool year).

Remarks:
Cerastis leucographa occurs from Europe to Japan. In Europe, it is rare in the south (more or less restricted to mountains), but regionally common in the north.



Cerastis rubricosa 
German version / deutsche Version