Nothocasis sertata (Hübner, [1817])


Nothocasis sertata: Adult (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany near Dischingen, September 2010) [N] Nothocasis sertata: Eggs in a branch fork on Acer pseudoplanus, eastern Swabian Alb, Dischingen, late December 2012 [M] Nothocasis sertata: Eggs in a branch fork on Acer pseudoplanus, eastern Swabian Alb, Dischingen, late December 2012 [M] Nothocasis sertata: Eggs in branch fork (eastern Swabian Alb, Germany, late December 2012 [M] Nothocasis sertata: Fresh eggs and those from the former year in the same branch fork (eastern Swabian Alb, Germany, Dischingen, late December 2012) [M] Nothocasis sertata: Eggs are deposited in groups in small forks, where the eggs are detectable even many months after hatching (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, mid November 2012). [N] Nothocasis sertata: Eggs are deposited in groups in small forks, where the eggs are detectable even many months after hatching (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, mid November 2012). [N] Nothocasis sertata: Young larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, Heubach, 01. May 2012) [M] Nothocasis sertata: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, Heubach, 01. May 2012) [M] Nothocasis sertata: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, Heubach, 01. May 2012) [M] Nothocasis sertata: Half-grown larva, the head can be also green occasionally (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, Heubach, 01. May 2012) [M] Nothocasis sertata: Half-grown larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, Heubach, 01. May 2012) [M] Nothocasis sertata: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, Heubach, May 2012) [M] Nothocasis sertata: Larva (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany, Heubach, May 2012) [M] Nothocasis sertata: Pupa (e.l. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany 2012) [S] Nothocasis sertata: Larval shelter (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany near Heubach, 01. May 2012) [N] Nothocasis sertata: Larval shelter (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany near Heubach, 01. May 2012) [N] Nothocasis sertata: Larval habitat in a mountainous woodland at the northern border of the eastern Swabian Alb near Heubach: young Acer pseudoplatanus in the understory at a forest road. 01/ 05/2012. [N] Nothocasis sertata: Larval habitat in a mountainous woodland at the northern border of the eastern Swabian Alb near Heubach: young Acer pseudoplatanus in the understory at a forest road. 01/ 05/2012. [N]

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on Maple (Acer), primarily on Acer pseudoplatanus.

Habitat:
Nothocasis sertata inhabits forests with maple occurrence (especially often damp mountain forests). The caterpillars are usually found in more shaded and humid places.

Life cycle:
The egg overwinters. Eggs are laid in groups and usually one to - more rarely - two rows in small forks (numerous observations in November and December 2012 on the eastern Swabian Alb in Southern Germany). The caterpillars live in April and May in young shoots that are woven together coil-like. Mostly you will find several larvae of different sizes on the same shoot. Pupation takes place on the ground. The moths fly from late August to October, and can also be observed at daylight.

Remarks:
Nothocasis sertata is distributed very locally in Europe (north to southern Sweden, in the south only locally in the mountains) and parts of Western Asia (Caucasus).