Hadena caesia ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Host plants:
The species is rather flexible in the choice of the host plant while laying eggs. The main host plants are Silene nutans and Silene vulgaris, the former being occupied preferred. In addition, I found caterpillars also on Silene rupestris (Montafon), Gypsophila repens (Bregenzerwald and Montafon, Austrian Alps), Silene pusilla (Maritime Alps), Saponaria bellidifolia (Olympus), Silene saxifraga, Silene ciliata and Silene multicaulis (both Olympus and Phalakron).

Habitat:
Hadena caesia colonizes alpine meadows, rocky slopes, rocky areas, forest margins from 1200 (rarely even lower: northern Europe: coastal rocky areas) to about 2300m above sea level.

Life cycle:
The moth flies in a single generation from late May to early August, with caterpillars from late June through September. In breeding you can also obtain a partial second generation by keeping the pupae warm. The pupa overwinters.

Endangerment factors:
Hadena caesia is widespread in the Alps and mostly frequent. There are therefore only sporadic threats given by overgrazing, reforestation or tourist development measures.

Remarks:
Hadena caesia is widespread in Europe and Asia Minor, but very disjunct, as inIreland, Scotland and Southern Scandinavia. In Central and Southern Europe it is confined to the higher mountains (e.g. Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada, Apennines, Carpathians or Balkans). In Central Europe it is common in the Alps and additionally also in the higher elevations of the southern Swiss Jura (as at Mont Tendre).