Idaea aureolaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)

Host plants:
The caterpillars live polyphagous in the herb layer and prefer according to literature Fabaceae such as Lotus sp. or Coronilla varia.

Habitat:
Idaea aureolaria has high requirements and only inhabits particularly hot-dry habitats such as steppe slopes, full dry grasslands, rocky slopes and other sheltered grasslands. In Valais, I found the moths commonly at the foot of a steppe slope at a wayside exclusively in higher vegetation. In the surrounding, low growing to rocky structure no moths were seen.

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters. The moths fly in a single generation in June and July. They keep themselves in somethinghigher growing, but hot dry vegetation and rest at straws halfway.

Endangerment: strongly endangered

Endangerment factors:
Idaea aureolaria is endangered north of the Alps by habitat loss. Some of the habitats fell fell victim to vineyards, while others were built over or overgrew after abandonment of extensive grazing.

Remarks:
Idaea aureolaria is distributed locally in Southern and Central Europe. To the east, it is found in temperate Asia to Mongolia.