Cucullia scrophulariae (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)

Host plants:
The caterpillars live mainly on Scrophularia species as Scrophularia nodosa. According to literature, they are very rarely also observed on Verbascum species.

Habitat:
Cucullia scrophulariae inhabits forest edges, clearings, woodland trails, wetlands, herbaceous communities and ditches with Scrophularia species. I found many larvae in humid herbaceous forest edges in the Swabian Alb.

Life cycle:
Cucullia scrophulariae has a single generation from mid-May to early or mid-July. The caterpillars are observed in June and July, more rarely still in early August. The pupa overwinters as with all Cucullia species in a dense cocoon on the ground.

Endangerment factors:
Cucullia scrophulariae is in decline (dark forest management, destruction of vegetation-rich ditches, etc.), but is not threatened existentially because of its adaptation to forest habitats.

Remarks:
The total distribution extends across large parts of Europe. Whether Cucullia scrophulariae also penetrates further into Asia, is not yet well established.