Grape motley , or buchna ( Theresimima ampelophaga ) - a species of butterflies belonging to the motley family.
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| Theresimima ampelophaga ( Bayle-Barelle , 1809) | ||||||||||||||||
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Description
The caterpillar is short, thick, gray in color, with longitudinal rows of reddish hairy warts. The underside is whitish, 12 mm long. The larva develops from the testicles laid by a butterfly on the branches of the vine. Caterpillars feed on grape leaves and pupate in rather dense spindle-shaped cocoons, which they attach in different crevices, on trunks or between twisted leaves.
Butterflies hatch from pupae in May – June. They have antennae thickening towards the top like a club. Fore wings narrow and long, dark bronze, shiny, hind wings small, oval, blackish. The wings are folded roof-top during rest. The wingspan of a butterfly is 22-25 mm.
In Italy, apparently, there is not one, but 2 generations a year, with pupae wintering, while in France and in the Crimea caterpillars or eggs winter. The species is common in southern Europe and in many places strongly harms grapes by eating leaves. As a control measure, it is recommended that the caterpillars be shaken off and collected and the shoots should be coated, which should be trimmed fairly short with caterpillar glue.
Links
- Tyrtyr // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.