Endromis versicolora (Linnaeus, 1758)


Endromis versicolora: Mating [N] Endromis versicolora: Female [M] Endromis versicolora: Male [S] Endromis versicolora: Male (feigning death) [S] Endromis versicolora: Male [M] Endromis versicolora: Male (portrait) [S] Endromis versicolora: Oviposition. fresh eggs are yellow. [S] Endromis versicolora: Fresh ovae [S] Endromis versicolora: Ovae after some days [S] Endromis versicolora: Ovae after some days [S] Endromis versicolora: Ovae prior to emergence (dark) respectively empty egg integuments (light) [S] Endromis versicolora: Freshly hatched larva [S] Endromis versicolora: L1-group [S] Endromis versicolora: L2 larvae [S] Endromis versicolora: Half-grown larvae [S] Endromis versicolora: Half-grown larvae [S] Endromis versicolora: Half-grown larva [S] Endromis versicolora: Larva [S] Endromis versicolora: Larva [S] Endromis versicolora: Larva [S] Endromis versicolora: Larva [S] Endromis versicolora: Larva Endromis versicolora: Larva [S] Endromis versicolora: Pupa [S] Endromis versicolora: Pupa [S] Endromis versicolora: Habitat: Birch woodland in the Swiss Ticino [N] Endromis versicolora: Habitat in a birch woodland in the Ticino shortly prior to flight time (March 2012) [N]

Host plants:
Mostly, the caterpillars live on Betula species, sometimes also on Alnus and probably Corylus and Carpinus.

Habitat:
Endromis versicolora inhabits light deciduous forests, moorland edge forests, swamp forests, mountain forests etc. with relatively large proportions of the larval host plant.

Life cycle:
The moths fly from March to early May (rarely already in late February). The caterpillars can be found from May to June, at higher altitudes even in early July. The pupa overwinters. The eggs are laid in rows on thin branches, where the young caterpillars live in groups. Mature larvae dissipate in most cases.

Endangerment: strongly endangered

Endangerment factors:
Endromis versicolora is highly vulnerable due to the decline of light, birch-rich woodland in favour of coniferous monocultures. The best habitats are obviously still bright, humid coppice woodlands as well as bog edge woods. Even some birch-rich mountain forests (500 to 1500m asl), for example in Ticino and Valais (both Switzerland) are occupied still pretty well. Endromis versicolora is, however, easily overlooked due to its low population density.

Remarks:
Endromis versicolora is widespread in Europe, but mostly confined to strictly limited localities. In southern Europe it is only occasionally found in the mountains and is missing in the southern Mediterranean (as well as in northernmost Scandinavia). The total distribution extends further to East Asia.


German version / deutsche Version