Leucania comma (Linnaeus, 1761)


Leucania comma: Adult (Switzerland, Grisons, San Bernadino, at the light of a toilet house, mid-June 2017)  [M] Leucania comma: Adult (Switzerland, Grisons, San Bernadino, at the light of a toilet house, mid-June 2017) [M] Leucania comma: Worn female (Switzerland, Kleiner San Bernadino, 1300m above sea level, at an illuminated building, July 2011)  [S] Leucania comma: Adult (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Adult (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Adult (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Adult (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Adult (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Adult (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: The ovae are deposited well concealed in leaf sheaths etc. (here in the breeding). [S] Leucania comma: Young larva (SE-France, Col de Champs, early August 2021) [M] Leucania comma: Young larva (SE-France, Col de Champs, early August 2021) [M] Leucania comma: Half-grown larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Half-grown larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Half-grown larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Half-grown larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Half-grown larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Half-grown larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: L1-larva (e.o. San Bernadino, July 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Young larva (e.o. San Bernadino, July 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Half-grown larva (e.o. 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva in penultimate instar (e.o. 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.o. San Bernadino 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.o. San Bernadino 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.o. San Bernadino 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.o. San Bernadino 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.o. San Bernadino 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.o. San Bernadino 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva (e.o. San Bernadino 2011) [S] Leucania comma: Larva [S] Leucania comma: Pupa (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Pupa (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Pupa (e.l. rearing, SE-France, Col de Champs, young larvae found in early August 2021) [S] Leucania comma: Larval habitat. The larvae have been found in small lower patches with higher-growing Dactylus (SE-France, Col de Champs, early August 2021) [N]

Host plants:
Grasses (Poaceae). I could beat many young larvae from Dactylus on Col de Champs.

Habitat:
Leucania comma inhabits moist to moderately dry, extensively managed habitats such as pastures, meadows, Arrhenaterum meadows, river valleys, wetlands, forest edges and similar places.

Life cycle:
The moths fly, depending on altitude, usually in one or more rarely two generations from mid-May to August with peak in late June (rarely still in September). The caterpillar overwinters. The exact way of life of the caterpillar is still little known. It is probable that the fully-grown larva hibernates and pupates in spring. In rearing from high mountains (Col de Champs) the larvae pupated in room temperature in autumn and gave the imago three weeks later. In other cases the mature larva hibernated.

Remarks:
Leucania comma occurs in Europe (except in the southernmost area) and temperate Asia.



Leucania fortunata | Leucania obsoleta | Leucania palaestinae | Leucania punctosa | Leucania putrescens | Leucania zeae 
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