Moths with a thick, shaggy body and colorful wings are representatives of the bear family. There are 11 thousand species in the world. The greatest diversity is noted in South America - 5 thousand species; 150 species of bear butterflies live in Russia. The family owes its unusual name to the appearance of its caterpillars. Their bodies are covered with thick black or brown hairs. The larvae were compared to bear cubs, and their parents were compared to mother bears. Moths have different sizes, the largest are more than 11 cm. The brightly colored lady bear butterfly lives in the temperate zone. It can be found on wet edges, along rivers and streams. In all habitats, insect numbers are declining. They are included in the Red Book in Russia and Ukraine.
Dipper butterflies family features
The family owes its name to caterpillars whose bodies are covered with long, dark brown hairs so thick that they appear to be dressed in bearskin.
Most caterpillars of these butterflies have hairs collected in tufts-tassels, sitting on special protrusions-warts. This “fur coat” protects the bear caterpillars from enemies. Caterpillars lead a relatively secretive lifestyle, feeding mainly on herbs, while lichen bears have switched to feeding on mosses or lichens growing on tree trunks. Dippers are medium to large sized butterflies with a plump body. Large species of this family are very brightly and variegatedly colored, but many smaller species are gray and inconspicuous. The front wings are triangular in shape, the hind wings are smaller. Almost all female bears lead an evening and nocturnal lifestyle. Let's take a closer look at some of the most interesting species.
Kaya bear
One of the most famous representatives of the family is the female bear (Arctia caja). Its habitat includes Europe, Asia and North America. This species is common in central Russia, as well as in Siberia and the Far East. The wingspan of kaya is 6-7 cm. The upper side of the wings is colored in brown and white shades and has an irregular winding pattern, the hind wings are red-orange, with round black or blue spots.
The kaya's proboscis is underdeveloped, so it does not feed throughout its short life.
Ursa Hera
The bear, named after the wife of Zeus, the goddess Hera, is easily recognized by three oblique light lines on the front wings and black spots on the red hind wings. The Hera bear (Euplagia quadripunctaria) lives in Europe (except for the northern regions) and Central Asia. It is found on forest edges and clearings, among shrubs in the zone of deciduous forests. In terms of flight time, Hera is a late-summer species - these butterflies fly in July and August. Unlike most other bears, Hera flies during the day. The caterpillars of this butterfly hibernate.
Human economic activity is leading to the destruction of hera habitats, and today it has become extremely rare in many places.
Transcaspian gloomy bear
This is one of the largest representatives of the family - its wingspan often exceeds 10 cm! The species surprises not only with its size, but also with its way of life - the Trans-Caspian gloomy bears (Axiopoena maura) prefer to live among rocks and in caves! It is also unusual that the caterpillars of this species live very far from caves in mixed-grass steppes.
This amazing butterfly is found in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Transcaucasia and Turkmenistan.
Lady bear
The lady bear (Callimorpha dominula), unlike the previous species, cannot boast of large sizes (its wingspan is only 4.5-5 cm), but it is very beautiful. The front wings are colored in dark shades with light spots, the hind wings are orange or bright red with dark spots.
The lady bear is widespread in Central and Southern Europe, the Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Prefers damp and open places - clearings, grassy slopes, ravines, clearings of broad-leaved forests.
Dipper black and yellow
This is a large bear (Epbestris melfntba), up to 7 cm in wingspan, lives in the tropical forests of Colombia and Brazil, as well as in the equatorial regions of South America. The wings and abdomen of the butterfly are bright, but not variegated, and instead of the usual numerous spots, they are simply painted in two colors - black and golden yellow. After all, the Greek word melfntba means “black-golden-yellow.”
Red-spotted bear
The red-spotted bear (Utetheisa pulchella) is a relatively small species, found in southern Europe, Africa, Central and South Asia. It got its name from the bright pattern on its wings. This rather rare species is mainly found in meadows.
Purple Dipper
The purple bear (Rhyparia purpurata) is found in Europe and temperate Asian regions. Settles on dry heather heaths and sandy soils. Its wingspan is 3-4.5 cm. The front wings are yellow, with individual brownish spots, the hind wings are orange-red.
Ursa is fast
The swift bear (Spilarctia luteum) is widespread from North Africa, through Europe to East Asia. Prefers damp mixed and pine forests. White wings with small black dots have a span of 4-5 cm. These bears fly in June and July during the daytime.
Lady bear
In the middle zone, the lady bear butterfly is very common. It is quite large, its wingspan reaches 5.5 cm.
These butterflies live in shady and damp places in June and July. They inhabit ravines, river banks, forest glades and clearings. Caterpillars eat leaves of shrubs and herbaceous plants: willow, blackberry, strawberry. Pupation occurs in the spring.
Reproduction
At the beginning of summer, mole crickets, in preparation for reproduction, construct a complex system of burrows, in the center of which there is a round uterine chamber. After fertilization, the female goes there and lays eggs. In mid-summer, the uterine chambers are already teeming with young larvae. Newborn mole crickets have little mobility. Their body is painted a pale yellow color, which changes after the first molt. Larvae that have just hatched from eggs cannot see. They remain blind until the moment of their first molt. The crop of each larva contains a special yolk, which prevents it from dying of hunger.
Unlike adults, larvae in their “teenage” years resemble grasshoppers, as they can jump and have little weight.
As the larvae grow, they go through up to 9 molts. After leaving the nests, the larvae settle throughout the garden or garden and begin to dig their own burrows. The length of each individual is 2-3 cm; they resemble adult mole crickets in appearance, but do not have wings, which insects grow after the first year of life.
Butterfly development: four stages of the life cycle
So, butterflies are insects with complete transformation - they have all four stages of the corresponding life cycle: egg, pupa, caterpillar larva and imago - an adult insect. Let us consider sequentially the stages of transformation in butterflies.
Egg
First, the adult butterfly lays an egg and thereby gives rise to a new life. Depending on the type, eggs can be round, oval, cylindrical, conical, flattened and even bottle-shaped. Eggs differ not only in shape, but also in color (usually they are white with a green tint, but other colors are not so rare - brown, red, blue, etc.).
The eggs are covered with a dense hard shell - the chorion. The embryo located under the chorion is equipped with a supply of nutrients, very similar to the well-known egg yolk. It is by this that the two main life forms of lepidopteran eggs are distinguished. Eggs of the first group are poor in yolk. Those species of butterflies that lay such eggs develop inactive and weak caterpillars. Outwardly, they look like tadpoles - a huge head and a thin, thin body. Caterpillars of such species must begin to feed immediately after emerging from the egg, only after which they acquire fully plump proportions. That is why butterflies of these species lay eggs on a food plant - on leaves, stems or branches. Eggs placed on plants are typical for diurnal butterflies, hawk moths, and many cutworms (especially lancets).
Cabbage butterfly eggs
In other butterflies, eggs are rich in yolk and provide the development of strong and active caterpillars. Having left the egg shell, these caterpillars immediately begin to crawl away and are able to cover sometimes quite significant distances for them before finding suitable food. Therefore, butterflies that lay such eggs do not need to worry too much about their placement - they lay them wherever they need to. Thinworms, for example, scatter eggs on the ground in bulk right on the fly. In addition to slender moths, this method is typical for bagworms, glassworts, many moths, cocoon moths and bear moths.
There are also lepidoptera that try to bury their eggs in the ground (some cutworms).
The number of eggs in a clutch also depends on the species and sometimes reaches 1000 or more, however, not all survive to the adult stage - this depends on factors such as temperature and humidity. In addition, butterfly eggs have no enemies from the insect world.
The average duration of the egg stage is 8-15 days, but in some species the eggs overwinter and this stage lasts months.
Caterpillar
A caterpillar is the larva of a butterfly. It is usually worm-shaped and has a gnawing mouthpart. As soon as the caterpillar is born, it begins to feed intensively. Most larvae feed on leaves, flowers and fruits of plants. Some species feed on wax and horny substances. There are also larvae - predators; their diet includes sedentary aphids, scale insects, etc.
During the process of growth, the caterpillar molts several times - changing its outer shell. On average, there are 4-5 molts, but there are also species that molt up to 40 times. After the last moult, the caterpillar turns into a pupa. Caterpillars of butterflies living in colder climates often do not have time to complete their life cycle in one summer and enter a winter diapause.
Caterpillar of the Swallowtail butterfly
Doll
The pupae do not move or feed, they just lie (hang) and wait, using up the reserves accumulated by the caterpillar. Outwardly, it seems that nothing is happening, but this last stage of the amazing transformation can be called a “turbulent calm.” At this time, very important life processes of restructuring the body are boiling inside the pupa, new organs appear and form.
The pupa is completely defenseless; the only thing that allows it to survive is its relative invisibility from its enemies - birds and predatory insects.
Butterfly pupa “Peacock eye”
Typically, the development of a butterfly in the pupa lasts 2-3 weeks, but in some species the pupa is a stage that enters winter diapause.
Imago
An adult insect, the imago, emerges from the pupa. The shell of the pupa bursts, and the imago, clinging to the edge of the shell with its feet, while exerting a lot of effort, crawls out.
A newborn butterfly cannot fly yet - its wings are small, as if curled, and wet. The insect necessarily climbs to a vertical elevation, where it remains until it fully spreads its wings. In 2-3 hours, the wings lose their elasticity, harden and acquire their final color. Now you can take your first flight!
The lifespan of an adult varies from several hours to several months, but on average the lifespan of a butterfly is only 2-3 weeks.
Mole cricket reproduction
Mole crickets begin to reproduce in the spring, after a mass exit from wintering. Their fertilization is spermatophore, like other representatives of Orthoptera. Mating takes place underground. Offspring appear in summer.
For their offspring, insects prepare a home: they dig complex, densely branched labyrinths around the roots of plants and, at a shallow depth (5-10 cm from the surface), arrange spherical nests about 10 cm in diameter. Individuals of both sexes take part in this process. Inside the ball there is a nesting chamber the size of a chicken egg, the walls of which are well compacted. There, the female mole cricket lays from 300-350 to 600 eggs. This is a very important period for the survival of insects, because the offspring located underground are completely dependent on temperature and humidity. The female does not leave the nest, guarding it, maintaining ventilation and temperature. To do this, she clears the passages from the ground, eats up the roots of plants that cast a shadow on the nesting site. Mole cricket eggs are similar to millet grains: oval, yellowish-gray, 2 mm in size.
After 10-20 days, depending on the soil temperature, gray, six-legged, wingless larvae (nymphs) emerge from the eggs, which live in the nest under the protection of the female for 20-30 days. At the end of this period of time, the female begins to freeze and after some time dies. After this, the mole cricket larvae crawl away, dig separate holes and begin to feed.
The development of larvae takes a long time, with incomplete transformation. This period differs in different regions. In the south they develop within 1-2 years, in the north 2-2.5 years. The mole cricket larva is similar to the adult, but with smaller sizes, underdeveloped wings and genitals. In the early stages of development, they are very mobile, nimble and jump well, like grasshoppers. During the period of development from larva to mature adult, mole crickets molt 8-9 times.
Larvae of the common mole cricket. Photo by: Roman Špaček
Literature
- Mikrula. Photos of a butterfly.
- M. P. Cornelio. School atlas - identification of butterflies. M., Visit. 1986.
- Biology. 7th grade. V. M. Konstantinov, V. G. Babenko, V. S. Kuchmenko, Ventana-Graf, 2009.
- P. Marikovsky “To the young entomologist.” M.: Children's literature, 1978.
An Indonesian posted on his Facebook a video of a strange-looking creature that looked like a hybrid of a moth and a spider with furry legs. Commentators write that they would rather burn down their house than be near this creature. True, it turned out that this is not a monster from another planet, but a very ordinary insect before mating.
An Indonesian resident, who calls himself Gandhik on Facebook, tickled the nerves of his subscribers by sharing on Facebook a photo of a strange creature that looked like a butterfly from another planet.
After seeing the picture, people did not understand why this creature was still not on fire. Although, as the experience of a woman from Kansas shows, this is true.
“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS AND WHY IS IT STILL NOT BURNING?”
“OH GOD NO, I WILL BURN THE WHOLE COUNTRY WHEN I SEE THIS CREATION.”
People did not understand what kind of creature was in front of them, but they guessed that it was a hybrid of a spider and a moth. Or moths with caterpillars. Most people didn't want to face him anyway.
“I’d rather be dragged into hell than face this.”
“I’ll have to be revived if I step on this.”
For those who have very strong nerves, there was also a recording attached to the post where a mysterious creature moves its paws.
The video captured a bear butterfly (in Latin the name sounds like Creatonotos gangis). According to the Daily Mail, such hairy legs on these insects cannot always be seen, but only during the mating period.
With the help of these tubes - coremates filled with blood or air - male butterflies secrete pheromones. The hairs, of which there are about 3 thousand on each tube, help distribute these odors.
The size of the coremates depends on how many leaves of poisonous plants the male ate when he was a caterpillar.
But even when Facebook users found out what kind of creature was in front of them, their sympathy for him did not increase.
“Yes, it’s worse than a spider.”
"It's horrible!!! Why does this exist?!!! I would leave wherever it was and never return.”
Such butterflies are found in Asia and Australia, and now people doubt whether to go to this country. After all, there you can also stumble upon fluffy spiders, which at first glance...
“Look, honey, this is why we don’t have to go to Australia.”
But it’s not just insects that give Internet users nightmares; sea creatures can also give spiders and bear butterflies a run for their money. This fisherman from Murmansk regularly posts photos, and subscribers can’t tear themselves away from them.
Family Features
All female bears are relatively large in size. They have a plump body. The front wings are triangular in shape and in most species are brightly colored. The hind wings are smaller and often have a modest coloration. A calm or resting bear butterfly folds its wings like a house, hiding their brightness.
An important feature common to the entire family is toxicity. The blood of these butterflies has a bitter taste, this is for those who did not understand the signal of the motley wings and still decided to attack. Most poisonous creatures look striking, as if warning predators about their peculiarity. It is difficult to digest such prey; it can cause irritation in the digestive system or allergies.
Young people are no less protected. Not only does the bear butterfly caterpillar have bitter, poisonous blood, but its hairs also secrete a strong irritant. Not only should you not chew it, but you shouldn’t even touch it. Thanks to this feature, both adult butterflies and caterpillars have virtually no natural enemies.
Kaya bear
No less common is the moth, the bear kaya. Representatives of the species are very beautiful. The wingspan of up to 8 cm makes them one of the largest in our country.
The fore wings of the female bear kaya are coffee brown, with white constrictions. On the rear red wings there are large black and blue peas.
Kaya bears live in late summer. Their black, furry caterpillars emerge in the fall, survive the winter, and transform into butterflies in the summer. At the moment of danger, the caterpillars curl up into a ring, protecting all their important organs, exposing their poisonous hairs. Caterpillars weave their cocoons under snags and fallen tree trunks.
American white butterfly
Bear caterpillars are nocturnal. They build spider nests for themselves and live there in small colonies. At night, individuals leave the nests and go in search of food. When morning comes, the caterpillars return to their nests. This lifestyle continues until they grow up. Stronger individuals are able to survive alone.
On a note!
Its homeland is North America, from which individuals migrated to the territory of modern Europe. Today this species can be found in Ukraine, Turkmenistan, southern and western parts of Russia and also in many regions of the Middle East.
Number and trends of its change
In the Oka part of the region it is stated as local and in places (or at times) not uncommon, in the south - as a very rare species. In the Tula region. at least 20 key habitats with an area of several tens of hectares are known, 5 of which form 2 system-forming habitats with an area of several hundred hectares each; in another 3 places in the central part of the region (in the south of Yasnogorsk (1 copy each, 1979 and 2002) and in Leninsky (1 copy, 2009) districts, the presence of cenopopulations requires clarification. Some habitats in outwash ecotopes could increase in the 1990s due to a reduction in economic activity. In most places, from single to several dozen butterflies and single caterpillars were regularly observed. The density of adults in coenopopulations in favorable xerothermic stations can reach 5-7 ind./ha, in mesophytic stations it is significantly below.
Spreading
This species is distributed in the Holarctic region, mainly in the temperate climate zone. The plantain bear prefers to settle in mountainous areas at altitudes up to 3000 m above sea level. Optimal for it are hills with wet meadows or swamps and located on the edge of forests near rivers and streams. In Europe, the largest populations live in the Alps, Balkans and Pyrenees. They are most often observed where lupine or wolf bean (Lupinus) grows.
Butterflies are also found in Asia Minor, Transcaucasia, China, Korea, Mongolia, Japan and North America.
The North American population lives in the area from the Canadian province of Manitoba and Alaska in the north to the state of New Mexico. Isolated populations persist in the US states of Arizona, California and Nevada. Many of them have declined significantly since the mid-twentieth century after reclamation work and other changes in their biotope caused by human factors.
Goldentail
The poisonous butterfly from the family of moths is also called the golden moth and the golden silkworm. In Europe, it is distributed from the shores of the Mediterranean to southern Sweden and Finland, and is found in eastern Russia and North America.
This is a small insect with white furry wings, the span of which reaches only 3-4 centimeters. The butterfly lives in mixed forests, cool orchards and parks, causing significant damage to trees.
The lacewing is poisonous at the caterpillar stage. You can recognize it during this period by its brown color with yellow-white longitudinal stripes and tufts of long brown hair. After touching the caterpillar, it becomes harder to breathe, and the skin develops rashes and scars. Symptoms can be managed with a calcium chloride compress and antihistamines.
Habitat area
Mole crickets live throughout the European part of Russia, with the exception of the northern regions; they can also often be found in Central Asia and the Caucasus. In addition to the common mole cricket, Gryllotalpa africana is also found in Russia. This species lives in the Ussuri region; it is also found in African countries, in India and China. In the summer months, mole crickets dig tunnels 10-20 cm deep from the surface of the earth, and in the winter this insect burrows deep into the soil, to a depth of 1 m.
The mole cricket lives in floodplains of rivers, where this insect is not afraid of floods, because mole crickets not only move well underground and fly, they also swim quite well. Mole crickets love moist soil, so they can often be found in vegetable gardens, greenhouses and greenhouses. This insect appears on the surface more often in the evening and at night, since during the day it hides underground.
Limiting factors and threats
According to ecological characteristics, it is a moderately stenotopic species, greatly reduced in number, in some places to a critical level, despite the abundance of externally suitable habitats in the region. This and the high fragmentation of the regional range suggest practical or increased isolation of the few known coenopopulations. At all stages of development, the species may be most vulnerable to soil disturbances, fires, trampling and complete mowing of meadows, intensive livestock grazing and, possibly, anthropogenic pollution. Isolated coenopopulations may be in danger of degeneration.
What does mole cricket eat?
Mole cricket is the most common pest of vegetable, fruit, melon, berry, and garden crops. These insects damage roots, tubers, root collars, seeds, underground parts of plants, and sometimes even eat seedlings and young plants. Mole crickets destroy potatoes, beets (table, sugar and fodder), cabbage, tomatoes, carrots, onions, beans, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, turnips, rutabaga, radishes, pumpkin, watermelons, melons, sweet potatoes, grapes, poppy seeds, hemp, sunflowers , hops, tobacco, flax, strawberries, strawberries, various shrubs, parsley and other umbelliferous plants. Mole crickets damage crops of wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, rice, millet, soybeans, chumise, paisa, and kaoliang. In the southern regions they destroy more exotic plants: citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines, lemons), tea, cotton, peanuts, cotton. In nurseries and young orchards, trees such as apple trees, pears, plums, cherries, sweet cherries, apricots, and peaches can suffer from mole crickets.
In forests, the insect damages the roots of young oaks, beeches, pines, poplars, spruces and other trees. In addition to plant foods, mole crickets eat earthworms, chafer larvae, ladybugs, dragonflies and other insects.
Photo by: Jeroen Willemsen
Description
Wingspan 50-80 mm. The length of the fore wing is 25–33 mm. The color of the upper side of the wings is brown-white with an irregular sinuous pattern, characterized by great variability. The upper side of the hind wings is light red with five large round spots, the color of which varies from black to bluish. The head and chest are dark, red-brown, the abdomen is red, with black transverse stripes. Butterflies are different. Each individual has an individual pattern on the upper side of the wings. The upper side of the hind wings may be red or yellow, with many or no spots, or plain black.
In individuals developing under the same conditions, color variability is sometimes observed, and sometimes these differences are so great that butterflies can be mistaken for representatives of different species.
Coloring as camouflage from predators
Camouflage from predators
A huge number of animals use their coloring to blend in with their environment. Thus, animals living in trees may be colored to match the color of the bark or have body patterns that help them get lost in the foliage. Land animals often have a gray-brown coloration, which helps them move undetected on the ground. The body of animals living among the snow is often covered with white fur, which helps them become invisible against a white background. Many animals living in the jungle have spotted colors. This protective coloration is also known as cryptic coloration. Let's now look at the most interesting animals that use cryptic coloration.
Subspecies
Yellow form f. flava
- Callimorpha dominula dominula (Baltic states, Ukraine, Moldova, Western Russia, Europe except south and north)
- Callimorpha dominula lusitanica (Portugal)
- Callimorpha dominula pompalis (Southern Alpine valleys)
- Callimorpha dominula persona (Italy, areas south of the Alps)
- Callimorpha dominula trinacriae (Sicily)
- Callimorpha dominula profuga (Balkans, Western Türkiye)
- Callimorpha dominula rossica (Caucasus, Transcaucasia, Northwestern Iran)
- Callimorpha dominula philippsi (Azerbaijan (Talysh), Northern Iran, Southern Turkmenistan)
- Callimorpha dominula kurdistanica (Southeastern Türkiye, presumably Northern)
Danaid monarch
The monarch is a poisonous butterfly from the genus Danaeidae and the family Nymphalidae. In general, it is distributed in North America, where it is found from southern Canada to Mexico itself. However, the species has been spotted in other regions of the world, such as the Canary Islands, North Africa, Europe and Russia. Butterflies are known for their long-distance migrations to winter, during which they travel up to three thousand kilometers.
The Danaid Monarch has dark orange wings with thick black lines that follow the veining pattern. The outer edges of the wings are edged in black interspersed with white spots. Their caterpillars are colored with yellow, white and black transverse stripes.
Even at the larval stage, insects feed on the leaves of the swallowtail, which contains toxic substances - glycosides. Monarchs themselves do not react to the poison, but their bodies accumulate it in their tissues. After this, the caterpillars become inedible for most birds and small mammals. When pupating, they completely retain their toxic properties, so adult butterflies are also poisonous.
Notes
Arctia (lat.) is a genus of moths from the subfamily of bears of the erebid family, common in the Holarctic region.
Ábashar (Hungarian: Abasár) is a village in Hungary, in the Northern Hungary region, in the Heves County, in the Gyöngyös Jarás. The main settlement of the Matra wine region. The highest viticultural area in Hungary, Mount Sárhegy, is located here.
The Red Book of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic is an official document containing a set of information on the status and distribution of rare and endangered species (subspecies, populations) of wild animals and wild plants and fungi living (growing) on the territory of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, as well as the necessary measures for their protection and restoration.
The Olschwangi bear (Arctia olschwangi) is a butterfly from the bear family. The specific name was given in honor of the Soviet and Russian entomologist, member of the Russian Entomological Society Vladimir Nikolaevich Olshvang (born 1946).
Butterflies are often brightly and variegated in color, hairy, with a thick body and b.m. large; small species b.h. not brightly colored, not furry and with wider wings. The antennae are short, and in males they are often combed; the eyes are bare (rarely covered with small cilia), the legs are relatively short.
Butterflies often lead a nocturnal or twilight lifestyle. Some species, such as the meadow bear Diacrisia sannio L. and the red-spotted bear Utetheisa pulchella L., are active both during the day and at night. Other species, for example, striped bear Spiris striata L., Kindermann's bear Sibirarctia kindermanni Stgr.
Caterpillars are hairy, in most species they often develop on a large number of different types of herbaceous plants, lichen species - on lichens and liverworts. Many species of the genus Spilarctia Btl. prefer to feed on the foliage of various trees. Pupation usually occurs on the ground in the forest floor in a light cocoon.
Among the bears there are very large species, for example, the gloomy bear with a wingspan sometimes exceeding 11 cm. Among the smallest species of real bears are Epimydia dialampra Stgr. (mountains of Southern Siberia and Mongolia) with a wingspan of less than 2.5 cm. Representatives of lichens are much smaller.
Some species, for example, the red-spotted bear Utetheisa pulchella L., have a very wide distribution - from the islands in the Atlantic Ocean in the west to Myanmar (Burma) in the east; this species sometimes makes long-distance migrations to the north, for example, to Lake Onega. Among the narrowly localized species are endemics of South-Eastern Altai and South-Western Tuva: Dodia sazonovi Dubat., Holoarctia dubatolovi Sald., Palearctia mira Dubat. et Tshist.
There are about 11,000 species known in the world. In Russia there are 73 species of the subfamily Arctiinae, 66 - Lithosiinae, 11 - Syntominae. In the European part of Russia, including the Caucasus and the Urals, there are 42 species of the subfamily Arctiinae, 22 - Lithosiinae, 8 - Syntominae. The greatest diversity of bears (even without lichens) is in South America, where more than 5 thousand species of these butterflies are known.
The fauna of the Faroe Islands is characterized by the remote location of the islands in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Faroe Islands have very few terrestrial species, but relatively many breeding seabirds and marine animals. Some subspecies and variations are endemic. All land mammals were brought to the Faroe Islands by humans. Before the arrival of man, there were no land mammals on these islands.
Sources
- https://tapi-tapi.ru/gusenitsa-medveditsy-pitaetsya/
- https://FB.ru/article/257115/babochka-medveditsa-osobennosti-rasprostranenie-foto
- https://matushka-priroda.ru/blog/nasekomye/2019-02-01-babochka-medvedica.html
- https://apest.ru/nasekomye/babochki/vidy-babochek-i-gusenits/gusenitsa-medveditsi/
- https://www.krasnouhie.ru/babochki-medvedicy.html
- https://ru.wikihow.com/%D1%83%D1%85%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0% B7%D0%B0-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B9-%D0%B3%D1% 83%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%B9-%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B2%D0%B5 %D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%86%D1%8B
Butterfly protection
Together with moths and moths, butterflies are lepidopteran insects. They have the most varied appearance, reaching from 2 mm to 30 centimeters in size. Most of them have an oval oblong body, a small neat head and a pair of wings covered with microscopic scales. This is what the adult stage of butterflies, the imago, looks like. But to achieve it, they have to go through several stages of development: egg, caterpillar and pupa.
Butterflies do not have sharp stingers, teeth or claws, but they have plenty of enemies. They are eaten by birds, lizards, rodents, toads and predatory insects. In a direct fight, it is difficult for butterflies to resist the enemy and there is little chance of fighting off the attacker. But they can prevent the threat.
Many species benefit from camouflage or deterrent coloration. For example, glass bees copy the appearance of a wasp, and the honeysuckle hawk moth imitates a bumblebee. The crimson ribbon fly skillfully disguises itself as the bark of a tree, and the saturnia scares away enemies with the image of eyes on its wings. There are also poisonous butterflies that can not only frighten, but also harm the enemy. The difficult nature of these insects is usually indicated by bright warning colors.
Why do butterflies strive for light?
The question of why moths fly towards the light interests many. Moreover, not only nocturnal varieties of moths, but also daytime ones can fly towards the beckoning rays, often by mistake. Although such a reaction is more often due to the fact that such individuals simply fell asleep near the light source, and when darkness fell and it turned on, they became frightened and rushed to escape.
According to recent studies, moths are increasingly less likely to seek light. This is due to the formation of special behavioral mechanisms in them that help them avoid harmful effects. Researchers used ermine moth caterpillars. These insects were raised until the first molt, half in suburban areas with a minimum of artificial lighting, the other half in areas where street lighting was maximum. As the results of the study showed, those butterflies that emerged from caterpillars that grew in places with bright lighting were 30% less likely to rush into the light than those that grew in areas with a minimum of light.
Blind Hawkmoth
Lifestyle
The favorite habitats of Callimorphadominula are mixed or sparse deciduous forests. They often settle in bushes, along road ditches, and on the banks of streams. Butterflies become active after dark. During the day they hide in damp, shady places. But there are exceptions to the rules; sometimes adults can be seen during the day, when moths fly over flowers, collecting nectar from umbrella plants.
The moths fly in June-July. The species is sedentary; males and females do not spend much time looking for a partner.
After mating, eggs are laid on the main food plants of the caterpillars:
- stinging nettle,
- yasnotka,
- buttercup,
- geranium.
There are several subspecies of Callimorphadominula living in Europe and Asia:
- C. d. philippi – Azerbaijan, northern Iran,
- C. d. rossica – Caucasus. Transcaucasia,
- CD persona – Italy.
These are just a few subspecies. Also interesting is the yellow form of the female bear f. flava.
Defense mechanism
The species has a weak flight, so catching a moth is not difficult. At the same time, they do not have many natural enemies. This is due to the presence of poison in the body of insects. The hemolymph of the imago is bitter; not many birds and reptiles like it. The protective mechanism is present not only in adult representatives of the species, but also in larvae. Long and thick hairs are a decoration, and a kind of shield from predators. Even in humans, they can cause an allergic reaction if you frighten the caterpillar by picking it up.
Information. The bright colors of the wings warn animals about the danger of the lady bear to their health.
Who is listed in the Red Book?
Ursa is a butterfly, photos of which are not uncommon on the Internet. The beauty of the insect attracts photographers from magazines and private pages. Despite this, it is considered a Red List species.
The Kaya bear is listed in the Red Book of Russia; the butterfly is sensitive to changes in living conditions. The list includes the lady bear. The population is declining due to deforestation of the forest habitats in which it lives.
nettle (lat. Spilosoma lubricipeda)
Medvedka description and photo. What does a bear look like?
Mole crickets are large insects. The length of their body varies from 3.5 to 5 cm, and the thickness reaches 1.2-1.5 cm. The body of the cabbage plant is colored silky brownish-brown on top, and brownish-yellow on the bottom. The insect's body is covered with tiny hairs.
Photo credit: Natasha Wright, Cook's Pest Control, Bugwood.org
The head of the mole cricket has a prognathic, or straight, position in relation to the body. Its axis coincides with the axis of the body, and the oral organs, which are powerful jaws, are directed forward.
Near the jaws there are 2 pairs of tentacles.
Photo by: Frank Dorsman
The large, clearly visible eyes of the mole cricket have a facet structure and are located on the sides of the head.
Thread-like antennae grow on the head of the insect, slightly extending beyond the pronotum. They are shorter compared to the whiskers of other representatives of crickets.
Photo credit: Katpatuka, FAL
The large and flat pronotum of the mole cricket with the lateral parts (blades) hanging down is a distinctive feature of the insect. The midthorax and metathorax of the insect are connected. The head and front part of the animal's body are covered with a dense chitinous shell - a device for pushing and compacting the earth when digging holes. Because of this shell, the mole cricket resembles a crayfish.
The abdomen of the cabbage plant is thick, reaching 1 cm in diameter, consists of 10 tergites and 8-9 sternites. The apex of the abdomen has anal and genital plates. Females do not have an ovipositor. The last segment of the abdomen has long, flexible cerci, or caudal appendages, covered with small hairs, resembling antennae in appearance.
Photo credit: Clemens Stockner, CC BY-SA 3.0
Mole crickets have 2 pairs of wings:
- The forewings are transformed into short and leathery elytra, covered with thick veins. In length they reach only the middle of the abdomen. The left elytra of insects from the cricket superfamily is always covered by the right one.
- The hind pair are long, wide, transparent, membranous wings with fine venation. In a calm state, they are folded like a fan under the elytra and extended along the abdomen in the form of cords. During the flight of an insect, the hind wings take an active part, while the elytra are involved to a limited extent.
Males differ from females in the venation of their elytra. There are also wingless individuals of both sexes, but they are less common. By the way, the larvae do not have wings.
Photo by: George Chernilevsky, Public Domain
The mole cricket has 3 pairs of limbs, each of which consists of a coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and a 3-segmented tarsus.
By the way, the auditory apparatus (or organ of hearing) of the mole cricket, like that of many other chirping orthoptera insects (grasshoppers, crickets), is located on the shins of the forelimbs and has an oval or narrow slit-like shape.
The hind legs of the insect are strong and designed for movement; there are 1-4 spines on their inner side. The claw-like forelimbs are a digging apparatus. The thigh and lower leg are greatly expanded, and the tarsus is shortened. On the shin there are 4, and on the tarsus there are 2 black spike-like teeth, with which the mole cricket crashes into the ground.
There are auditory openings on the front legs of the mole cricket. They have an oval or narrow-slit shape.
Photo by: Pavel Korzunovich (PaKor)
Types of mole crickets, photos and names
Medvedkas hardly differ from each other in appearance and lifestyle. Some can be distinguished from each other only by the number of chromosomes.
According to the latest research and information presented on the website orthoptera.speciesfile.org, the Far Eastern mole cricket (lat. Gryllotalpa fossor) is synonymous with the African mole cricket (lat. Gryllotalpa africana).
Below is a description of several varieties of mole crickets.
- Common mole cricket (lat. Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa)
Widespread species. The body size of the insect reaches 3.5-5 cm, the length of the pronotum is 1.2-1.6 cm, the elytra is 1.3-2.1 cm, the hind femur is 1-1.3 cm. The body is dark brown, with lighter, brownish-yellow abdomen, covered with dense small hairs. The head and back are almost black. The abdomen is yellowish or olive in color.
Widely distributed in Europe, except Scandinavian countries. The common mole cricket also lives in Russia, North Africa and some areas of Asia: Transcaucasia, Asia Minor and Western Asia, the Middle East, Iran, Kazakhstan.
Photo credit: Tobias b köhler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- African mole cricket (eastern mole cricket) (lat. Gryllotalpa africana)
It has smaller dimensions than the common mole cricket: the body is 2.0-3.5 cm, the length of the pronotum is 0.6-0.9 cm, the length of the elytra is 0.8-1.2 cm. The color is brown-yellow above and yellow below.
African mole crickets live in Central, South and Southeast Asia, on the Japanese and Philippine Islands, Ceylon and Madagascar, Korea, the Russian Far East, Australia, New Zealand, and in the tropics and subtropics of Africa.
Photo credit: Bernard DUPONT, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ten-toed mole cricket (lat. Neocurtilla hexadactyla)
A variety characterized by its small size: from 1.9 to 3.3 cm in length. Initially, these mole crickets inhabited North and Central America, and from there they settled into South America.
Photo credit: dogtooth77, CC BY-NC-SA
- Steppe mole cricket (lat. Gryllotalpa stepposa)
It is a morphological double of the common mole cricket, that is, it is absolutely similar in appearance. The length of the insect reaches 4-5.4 cm. The body color is brown-yellow.
The habitat of the mole cricket is Moldova, the south of Ukraine, the Southern District of Russia and the south of Turkmenistan.
Photo by: Lubomír Klátil
- Single-thorn mole cricket (lat. Gryllotalpa unispina)
The body length of the insect varies from 3.8 to 4.4 cm, the length of the oval pronotum is 1.1-1.3 cm, the elytra is 1.5-1.7 cm. The body structure, lifestyle, nutrition and reproduction of this insect are characteristic for the whole family, like the brownish-yellow color.
It is a halophile, that is, it is found on saline soils along the shores of seas and lakes, as well as on wet salt marshes. Single-spined mole crickets live in the south of Moldova and Ukraine, in the Lower Volga region of Russia and the Rostov region, in Crimea, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, Afghanistan and China. Its habitat may change depending on the distribution of salt marshes and solonetzes.
Author of the photo: Danilov Yu.N.
Breeding at home
For breeding butterflies, choose a spacious container with a lid through which oxygen will pass. Cover the bottom with sphagnum moss, under which soil is placed. The height of the flooring is up to 2 cm. A frequent guest of such insectariums is a fluffy caterpillar, the name of which depends on its appearance.
For example, if you have a black hairy caterpillar, what is it called, it is not difficult to find out. If there are yellow dots, it's a mistress. If not, it is most likely urticaria. The furry black and orange creeper belongs to the kaya. It is interesting to watch how a black furry caterpillar pupates; what kind of butterfly will appear in the end will essentially become clear after 8 months.
In order for the insect to hibernate, the temperature drops to +3/+6 °C. Before this, she is fed fresh leaves. Once the pupa emerges, access to light is limited until hatching. After the butterfly appears, cotton wool soaked in a honey solution is used for feeding. As a result, a bear butterfly will appear, the photo of which will become your pride.
kaya (lat. Arctia Caja)
Poisonous butterflies
Poisoning enemies is not the most common technique among butterflies, especially in the adult stage. This weapon is most often used by caterpillars, which have special glands that secrete a toxic secretion. A number of species can be very dangerous - one touch to their representatives leads to death, fever or severe inflammation. Loud color and hairs on the body are the first sign that you should not approach these caterpillars.
Adult moths are rarely poisonous enough to cause significant harm to humans or large mammals. They, like some caterpillars, do not produce toxins on their own, but use those released by plants. Feeding on nectar and leaves of poisonous species, they become saturated with harmful substances and become completely inedible for predators.
Which butterflies are poisonous? The “poisoners” include many species of Danaids, swallowtails, representatives of bats and bears. Meeting them can lead to irritation, inflammation, allergies and other consequences.
Butterfly nutrition and protection of feeding territory
In early spring, nectar awaits red admirals on yellowish birch catkins and blackthorn and hawthorn flowers. Favorite sources of summer nectar include dogwood, agrimonia, blackberry, marjoram, thistle, burdock, burdock, and ivy.
They also visit dung or absorb mineral salts from moist soil and visit drops of sap on oak trunks. In orchards they will eat fallen apples or pears.
Admirals are one of the most intelligent species of butterflies - they have the ability to get used to, that is, learn to react less strongly to stimuli that turn out to be harmless. Upon entering their territory, the intruder is immediately investigated.
admiral butterfly on a leaf
In the event of a human invasion, the admiral butterfly will circle several times and try to find out if the person is a threat. If he or she seems harmless, the butterfly becomes increasingly brave - the butterfly gets used to the presence of a person and again the butterfly behaves as if no one is there.
admiral butterfly food
On the other hand, if the intruder reacts to the butterfly by chasing it, it becomes wary, and further pursuit will be enough to remove the butterfly from the area for a few minutes
Reproduction
Caterpillar
In July, fertilized females lay eggs in large bluish-white groups on the undersides of leaves.
Caterpillar
The caterpillar stage is from September to May. The caterpillar hibernates. Length about 60 mm. The color is black, covered with long hairs with white tips. The first instar caterpillars are covered with gray hairs, with yellowish stripes on the back. When in danger, the caterpillar falls from the food plant to the ground, curls up and pretends to be dead.
Caterpillars are polyphagous, feeding on the leaves of various types of herbaceous and shrubby plant species. Main forage plants: raspberries, blackberries, viburnum, honeysuckle, heather, hogweed, gorse. They also feed on the leaves of such species as apple, strawberry, pear, etc.
Caterpillar
Before turning into butterflies, caterpillars have to do a lot of work and perform an important task - to eat for future use. Therefore, they are omnivorous and gluttonous. Caterpillars eat shrubs and herbaceous plants, and tree foliage. This harms the plants.
Before pupation, the caterpillar spins a loose, silky cocoon. She weaves her own fallen hairs into the walls. The pupa inside the cocoon is motionless.
