Svensson's copper underwing
| Svensson's copper underwing | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Superfamily: | Noctuoidea |
| Family: | Noctuidae |
| Genus: | Amphipyra |
| Species: | A. berbera |
| Binomial name | |
| Amphipyra berbera Rungs, 1949 | |
Svensson's copper underwing (Amphipyra berbera) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Charles E. Rungs in 1949. It is distributed throughout Europe including Russia east to the Urals.
This species has a wingspan of 47–56 mm, the female usually larger than the male. The forewings are brown, marked with pale fascia and a dark-centred pale stigma. The hindwings are bright copper-coloured. This species is very similar to the copper underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea) but can usually be distinguished by the pattern on the underside of the hindwings: A. pyramidea has a pale central area, contrasting strongly with darker margins; A berbera is much more uniformly coloured. See Townsend et al.[1]
A. berbera flies at night from July to September[a] and is attracted to light and strongly to sugar.
The larva feeds on a range of trees and shrubs (see list below). The species overwinters as an egg.
Recorded food plants
- Acer – sycamore maple
- Carpinus – hornbeam
- Populus – aspen
- Quercus – oak
- Rhododendron
- Salix – willow
- Sorbus – rowan
- Syringa – lilac
- Tilia – lime[2]
- Wisteria – Wisteria sinensis
Notes
- ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.
References
- ^ Martin C. Townsend, Jon Clifton and Brian Goodey (2010). British and Irish Moths: An Illustrated Guide to Selected Difficult Species. (covering the use of genitalia characters and other features) Butterfly Conservation.
- ^ Robinson, Gaden S.; Ackery, Phillip R.; Kitching, Ian J.; Beccaloni, George W.; Hernández, Luis M. (2010). "Search the database - introduction and help". HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants. Natural History Museum, London.
- Chinery, Michael (1991). Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe.
- Skinner, Bernard (1984). The Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles.
External links
- Kimber, Ian. "73.063 BF2298 Svensson's Copper Underwing Amphipyra berbera Fletcher, 1968". UKMoths. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
- Fauna Europaea
- Savela, Markku (28 July 2019). "Amphipyra berbera Rungs, 1949". Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms. Retrieved 23 October 2019. Taxonomy
- Lepiforum e.V. Includes photo of genitalia.