Harpyia milhauseri (Fabricius, 1775)

Host plants:
The larva feeds on Quercus species.

Habitat:
Harpyia milhauseri inhabits mostly warm oak forests, old oaks and oak bush forests.

Life cycle:
Harpyia milhauseri occurs almost always in a single generation with adults from April to June. Caterpillars are observed from June to August. I found the bizarre caterpillar in the Provence on white oak shrubs in grasslands in mid-July. Pupation takes usually place on bark, where the cocoon is very well camouflaged.

Endangerment: regionally endangered or decreasing

Endangerment factors:
Due to the decline of oaks, Harpyia milhauseri is becoming rarer in Central Europein in the long term.

Remarks:
Harpyia milhauseri occurs in Europe and parts of Western Asia. In Europe it misses from the British Isles, most parts of Scandinavia and most Mediterranean Islands.