Plemyria rubiginata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)


Plemyria rubiginata: Adult (e.o. eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany) [S] Plemyria rubiginata: Ovum (eastern Swabian Alb, Southern Germany) [N] Plemyria rubiginata: Ovum (detail) [N] Plemyria rubiginata: Half-grown larva [S] Plemyria rubiginata: Larva [S] Plemyria rubiginata: Pupa [S]

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives polyphagous on deciduous wood. They prefer Rosaceae such as Prunus spinosa or Malus sp., according to literature also Alnus.

Habitat:
Plemyria rubiginata colonizes hedge areas, bushy grasslands, clear mixed forests and other habitats rich of deciduous trees.

Life cycle:
The egg hibernates in most cases. I found it occasionally on the eastern Swabian Alb in the winter and early spring at blackthorn (breeding confirmed). The caterpillar lives in this case, from April to June. Pupation takes place between leaves that are spun together. The moths fly mostly in a long generation from mid-June to early August.

There are moths observations also from late April and still in late August or in September Thus the development cycle should be more variable with a partial second generation, and partly also with possible overwintering of caterpillars, but that should be investigated further.

Endangerment factors:
Plemyria rubiginata is not endangered.

Remarks:
The distribution extends across most of Europe and temperate Asia.