Laspeyria flexula (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)


Laspeyria flexula: Adult (Schwäbisch Gmünd, June 2010) [S] Laspeyria flexula: Adult (Schwäbisch Gmünd, June 2010) [S] Laspeyria flexula: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, September 2011) [M] Laspeyria flexula: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, September 2011) [M] Laspeyria flexula: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, September 2011) [S] Laspeyria flexula: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, September 2010, beaten from lichen-rich Acer campestre at the edge of a grassland. [M]

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on lichens on branches and algae.

Habitat:
Laspeyria flexula inhabits grove rich habitats such as forests, hedge areas, parks, etc. I tapped a caterpillar from a very lichen-rich Acer campestre on the edge of the forest to a limestone grassland (eastern Swabian Alb near Heidenheim/Brenz). In September 2011, I found in another forest (Dischingen) several caterpillars on lichen or algae-rich Prunus spinosa and spruce branches.

Life cycle:
The caterpillar overwinters. The moths fly in one to three generations (depending on location) from late May to September. With just a single generation (e.g. in mountain ranges), the maximum is usually in July.

Remarks:
Laspeyria flexula is widespread in Europe and in Central Europe quite common. It lacks in Central and Northern Scandinavia and the south of the Iberian Peninsula. In Asia, some records are known eastward to the Pacific.


German version / deutsche Version