Ptilodontella cucullina (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)


Ptilodontella cucullina: Adult (e.l. Memmingen 2010) [S] Ptilodontella cucullina: Adult (e.l. Memmingen 2010) [S] Ptilodontella cucullina: Adult (e.l. Memmingen 2010) [S] Ptilodontella cucullina: Adult (e.l. Memmingen 2010) [S] Ptilodontella cucullina: Adult (e.l. Memmingen 2010) [S] Ptilodontella cucullina: Adult (e.l. Memmingen 2010) [S] Ptilodontella cucullina: Larva (Memmingen, September 2010) [M] Ptilodontella cucullina: Larva (Memmingen, Southern Germany) [N] Ptilodontella cucullina: Larva (Memmingen, September 2010) [M] Ptilodontella cucullina: Larva (Memmingen, September 2010) [S] Ptilodontella cucullina: Larva [S] Ptilodontella cucullina: Pupa [S]

Host plants:
The caterpillar is found on Acer species, primarily on Acer campestre.

Habitat:
Ptilodontella cucullina inhabits forests and other woody habitats such as hedgerows, which are interspersed with Acer.

Life cycle:
Ptilodontella cucullina hibernates as a pupa. The moths fly in one to (mostly) two generations from late April (usually not until mid-May) to early September. The caterpillar is most commonly found from mid-August to late September, but would also be observed in June and July. In early September 2010, I found many larvae on a west exposed, Acer campestre-rich woodland edge near Memmingen (Germany).

Endangerment factors:
Ptilodontella cucullina is generally only at little risk (such as by the removal of hedges in the landscape).

Remarks:
Ptilodontella cucullina occurs from the north of the Iberian Peninsula across central and the northern part of Southern Europe to southern Russia.