Page 315 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Zygaenidae
DISTRIBUTION Southern Europe
HABITAT Dry, south-facing slopes with meadow and scree,
up to 6,600 ft (2,000 m) elevation
HOST PLANTS Dock (Rumex spp., especially Rumex scutatus)
NOTE Sluglike, hairy caterpillar that is found on alpine meadows
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but is at risk in parts of its range

ADULT WINGSPAN
¾–1 ⁄ in (20–30 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
¾ in (20 mm)
ADSCITA ALPINA
ADSCITA ALPINA 313

(ALBERTI, 1937)

Adscita alpina caterpillars hatch in summer or early fall from
oval-shaped eggs laid on the underside of leaves of various
dock species; the eggs, at rst pale yellow, turn blue green in

color just before the larvae emerge. The young caterpillars mine
the leaves, while the older ones feed on the outside of the
leaf. The caterpillars then overwinter on or near the ground and
become active again the following spring. They pupate on or
near the host plant, in a loose cocoon of white silk thread. There
is a single generation annually.

The eye-catching, metallic blue-green adults are on the wing
over summer, usually from June to August, but they may be
seen as late as September. They can often be spotted feeding
on the flowers of thistles. The species is under threat from
agricultural intensi cation, tourist development, and the lack

of traditional management of its meadow habitat, particularly
scrub management, which has led to trees and shrubs colonizing
the meadows upon which Adscita alpina relies.

The Adscita alpina caterpillar has a plump,
sluglike shape and is dark brown in color. There Actual size
are rings of distinctive, large, caramel-yellow
tubercles, which bear tufts of short hairs.
The head is black.