Longhorn moth

The longhorn moth or yellow-barred long-horn (Nemophora degeerella) is a diurnal lepidopteran from the moths family Adelidae (fairy longhorn moths).^[1]

Longhorn moth
Nemophora degeerella, male
Nemophora degeerella, female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Adelidae
Genus:	Nemophora
Species:	N. degeerella
Binomial name
Nemophora degeerella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
Phalaena (Tinea) degeerella Linnaeus, 1758

Distribution and habitat

This species is present on most of Europe, but it is fairly common in north west Europe. The habitat of these moths is damp deciduous forests with wooded lanes and hedgerows.^[2][3]

Description

The wingspan of Nemophora degeerella ranges from 18–20 millimetres (0.71–0.79 in) in males, from 15–18 millimetres (0.59–0.71 in) in females.^[3] The head is dark brown, with dark and yellow hair-like scales. The thorax has a bronzy golden shining. Forewings are shiny bronzy golden yellow or shiny ochreous with longitudinal dark brown and lead-gray blueish-violet shining streaks. A yellow transversal band cross the whole forewings, framed by two lead-gray blueish-violet shining stripes with a dark brown border. The three longitudinal lead-gray, blueish-violet shining stripes situated in the basal part of the wings do not treach the transversal fascia. Rear wings are brownish gray.^[4] The longhorn moth males have filiform antennae ranging up to five times their body length, while the female has much shorter antennae. Moreover in the females the basal part of the antennae is thickened by black scales, while the tip is white.^[4]

Nemophora degeerella is very similar to Nemophora congruella but N. congruella is slightly smaller, the forewing markings are bright yellow and the band is located closer to the base. In the females of N. congruella is missing the beard-like scales present in the basal part of the antennae of the females of N. degeerella. Also Adela croesella is very similar, but it is much smaller and more colorful. The gray blueish-violet stripes are at least as wide as the yellow central band.^[4]

^{[5][6][7] [8]}

Biology

These moths fly in the day. The flight period ranges from May to July. The caterpillar feeds on birch leaf litter.^[9] The adult moth feeds on Persicaria bistorta, Leucanthemum vulgare and nettles. This species has a single annual generation (univoltine). Hibernation takes place in the form larvae in a cocoon of leaves.

Etymology

The specific epithet honours Charles De Geer.

Gallery

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  Lateral view
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  Mating pair
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  Male with its long filiform antennae
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  Museum specimen