Spatalia argentina (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)


Spatalia argentina: Adult (e.l. Aisa, Spanish west Pyrenees) [S] Spatalia argentina: Half-grown larva (Aisa, Spanish west Pyrenees, July 2010) [N] Spatalia argentina: Larva after the last moult  [S] Spatalia argentina: Larva [S] Spatalia argentina: Mature larva prior to pupation (e.l. Aisa 2010) [S] Spatalia argentina: Young oak bush woodland interspersed with grasslands are the habitat in the Spanish west Pyrenees (July 2010)

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on oak species (mostly shrubs).

Habitat:
Spatalia argentina colonized dry warm oak forests, especially mosaics of oak forests, young growth and dry grasslands.

Life cycle:
The moths fly in usually two generations from May to August. The caterpillars are found from June to September or early October. The pupa overwinters.

Endangerment: strongly endangered

Endangerment factors:
Spatalia argentina is threatened mainly in the north increasingly due to the declineof dry-warm, very light-oak bush forests. In southern Europe the risk is still significantly lower.

Remarks:
Spatalia argentina occurs in Central and Southern Europe. To the east, it is found to southern Russia.