Marumba quercus (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)


Marumba quercus: Male (e.l. East Spain, Teruel, larva in late August 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Male (e.l. East Spain, Teruel, larva in late August 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Male (e.l. East Spain, Teruel, larva in late August 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Female (Provence, early April 2014, photo: Emanuel Ruiz) Marumba quercus: Egg (N-Spain, NE Lleida, late July 2013) [N] Marumba quercus: Egg (N-Spain, NE Lleida, late July 2013) [N] Marumba quercus: L1 (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: L2 (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: L2 (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: L3 (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: L3 (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: L3 (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: L3 (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: L3 (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in penultimate instar (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in penultimate instar (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in penultimate instar (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in last instar (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in last instar (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in last instar (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in last instar (e.o. Lleida 2013) [S] Marumba quercus: Larva (East Spain, Teruel, late August 2013) [M] Marumba quercus: Larva (east Spain, Teruel, late August 2013) [M] Marumba quercus: Young larva [S] Marumba quercus: Young larva [S] Marumba quercus: Half-grown larva [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in penultimate instar. The horn of that individual is not properly formed (too short). [S] Marumba quercus: Larva in penultimate instar. The horn of that individual is not properly formed (too short). [S] Marumba quercus: Larva after the last molt [S] Marumba quercus: Larva after the last molt [S] Marumba quercus: Larva [S] Marumba quercus: Larva [S] Marumba quercus: Larva [S] Marumba quercus: Larva [S] Marumba quercus: Larva [S] Marumba quercus: Larva, middle part [S] Marumba quercus: The horn of this individual is a bit deformated, namely too short.  [S] Marumba quercus: Larva on its walk prior to pupation [S] Marumba quercus: Pupa [S] Marumba quercus: Xerothermic egg habitat (NE-Spain, Lleida, late July 2013) [N] Marumba quercus: Larval habitat in east Spain (Teruel, Sierra de Albarracin, late August 2013). I observed three half-grown larvae on the lower branches of the tree in the foreground. [N] Marumba quercus: Larval habitat near Teruel in east Spain in late August 2013 [N] Marumba quercus: Larval habitat near Teruel in eastern Spain. A larva has been recorded on the small tree in the foreground. [N]

Host plants:
The larvae feed on Quercus species such as Quercus pubescens or Quercus ilex.

Habitat:
Marumba quercus occurs in dry and warm oak woodland in the Mediterranean and Supramediterranean region.

Life cycle:
The chrysalis hibernates. The moths appear mostly in a single generation between late April and July. More rarely, there is a partial second emergence in August or early September.
The caterpillars occur between late May and early October. I observed an egg in Northern Spain (Lleida) in late July 2013 and half to fully-grown larvae in east Spain (Teruel, Sierra de Albarracin) in late August 2013. The L1-larva does not feed prior to the first moult, except for the egg shell. I found the larvae on small oak bushes and on the lower branches of medium high trees.

Remarks:
Marumba quercus occurs from North Africa (Morocco) across most of Southern Europe to parts of Asia (Caspian Sea). In Europa, the northernmost populations seem to occur in Hungary and Slowakia. In Central Europe Lake Garda is likely to be the northernmost point.