Pungeleria capreolaria ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)


Pungeleria capreolaria: Adult (e.l. 2012 Schwäbisch Gmünd) [S] Pungeleria capreolaria: Adult (e.l. Schwäbisch Gmünd 2012) [S] Pungeleria capreolaria: Larva (northern Black Forest, early May 2012) [M] Pungeleria capreolaria: Larva (Schwäbisch Gmünd, 17. April 2012) [M] Pungeleria capreolaria: Larva (Schwäbisch Gmünd, 17. April 2012) [M] Pungeleria capreolaria: Larva (Schwäbisch Gmünd, 17. April 2012) [M] Pungeleria capreolaria: Larva (northern Black Forest 2012) [S] Pungeleria capreolaria: Pupa (e.l. Schwäbisch Gmünd 2012) [S]

Host plants:
The caterpillar lives on silver fir (Abies alba). In southern Europe also other Abies species are used (e.g. Abies excelsa).

Habitat:
Pungeleria capreolaria inhabits forests with fir share.

Life cycle:
The caterpillars overwinter in different sizes and are mature between April and June or even later. I found a fully-grown caterpillar, for example, on 17 April 2012 in Schwaebisch Gmuend. The moths fly from May to October with a peak in June and July. Probably there are both a superposition of a partial second generation (at least at lower altitudes) and a widely elongated light time due to different fast rates of development and overwintering sizes.

Remarks:
Pungeleria capreolaria occurs in Europe to Southern Scandinavia, but is locally absent in fir-poor areas.