copper underwing
{{short description|Species of moth}}
{{For |the other species with this common name |Amphipyra pyramidoides{{!}}Amphipyra pyramidoides}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Amphipyra pyramidea
| image = Amphipyra.pyramidea.jpg
| image_caption =
| taxon = Amphipyra pyramidea
| authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)
}}
The copper underwing, humped green fruitworm or pyramidal green fruitworm (Amphipyra pyramidea) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.
Distribution
This species can be found across the Palaearctic region including Europe, North Africa, the Near East, Iran, southern Siberia, northern India, Korea and Japan.{{cite web |last=Savela |first=Markku |date=28 July 2019 |url=https://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/insecta/lepidoptera/ditrysia/noctuoidea/noctuidae/amphipyrinae/amphipyra/#pyramidea |title=Amphipyra pyramidea (Linnaeus, 1758) |website=Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms |accessdate=23 October 2019}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202013/http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=449277 Fauna Europaea] It is rather common over the southern half of Britain.
Description
This species has a wingspan of 47–54 mm,{{cite web |last=Kimber |first=Ian |url=https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/amphipyra-pyramidea |title=73.062 BF2297 Copper Underwing Amphipyra pyramidea (Linnaeus, 1758) |website=UKMoths |accessdate=23 October 2019}} the female usually slightly larger than the male. The forewings are brown marked with paler fascia and a pale, dark-centred stigma. The hindwings are a rich bright copper colour (hence the common name of "copper underwing").
It is very similar to Svensson's copper underwing (Amphipyra berbera) but identification is usually fairly straightforward by looking at some markings on the forewings,[http://www.entomart.be/synthese/Amphipyrapyramidea.html Entomart] the detail of the labial palps and at the underside of the hindwings. This species has a pale area in the centre of the hindwings, contrasting with much darker marginal areas, while in A. berbera the whole underwing is more or less uniform in colour. See Townsend et al.Martin C. Townsend, Jon Clifton and Brian Goodey (2010). [https://butterfly-conservation.org/uploads/Difficult_species_guide_page_70.pdf British and Irish Moths: An Illustrated Guide to Selected Difficult Species] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024172113/https://butterfly-conservation.org/uploads/Difficult_species_guide_page_70.pdf |date=2021-10-24 }}. (covering the use of genitalia characters and other features) Butterfly Conservation. The larva is green with white markings and a pointed hump at the rear end.
Differentiation of ''A. pyramidea'' from ''A. berbera''
File:Amphipyra pyramidea - differenciation from Amphipyra berbera 01.jpg|A. pyramidea - red arrow points out a difference
File:Amphipyra pyramidea - differenciation from Amphipyra berbera 02.jpg|A. berbera - red arrows point out a difference
File:Amphipyra pyramidea - berbera larvae.jpg|Caterpillars of A. pyramidea (top) and A. berbera
Biology
It is a univoltine species. Hatching season is as early as June in some climates but they usually hatch July to October. Eggs are laid in deciduous trees. Larva can be found as early as April in some climates but usually emerge in May–June. A pyramidea flies at night from August to October{{ref|flight_season}} and is attracted to light and strongly to sugar. It feeds on a variety of trees and shrubs, including ash tree (Fraxinus), privet (Ligustrum), honeysuckle (Lonicera), apple (Malus), oak (Quercus), Rhododendron, rose, wild service tree (Sorbus) and lilac (Syringa).{{cite web |last1=Robinson |first1=Gaden S. |last2=Ackery |first2=Phillip R. |last3=Kitching |first3=Ian J. |last4=Beccaloni |first4=George W. |last5=Hernández |first5=Luis M. |date=2010 |url=https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/hostplants |title=Search the database - introduction and help |website=HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants |publisher=Natural History Museum, London}}Mazzei, Paolo; Morel, Daniel & Panfili, Raniero. [http://www.leps.it/indexjs.htm?SpeciesPages/AmphiPyram.htm Moths and Butterflies of Europe and North Africa] The species overwinters as an egg.
- {{Note|flight_season}} The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range.
Gallery
File: Amphipyra pyramidea larva.jpg|Larva
File: Noctuidae - Amphipyra pyramidea.JPG|Moth
File:Amphipyra pyramidea.jpg|Mounted specimen
File: F Nemos OBA Amphipyra pyramidea.jpg|Illustration
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{cite book |last=Chinery |first=Michael |authorlink=Michael Chinery |date=1991 |title=Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain and Western Europe}}
- {{cite book |last=Skinner |first=Bernard |authorlink=Bernard Skinner (entomologist) |date=1984 |title=The Colour Identification Guide to Moths of the British Isles}}
External links
{{Commonscat|Amphipyra pyramidea}}
- [http://www.pieris.ch/seiten/main.php?page=art&art=noct_pyramidea Butterflies & Moths of Switzerland]
- [http://www.lepiforum.de/cgi-bin/lepiwiki.pl?Amphipyra_Pyramidea Lepiforum e. V.] Includes photo of genitalia.
- [http://www.schmetterling-raupe.de/art/pyramidea_s.htm Portal für Schmetterlinge und Raupen]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q735875}}
Category:Moths of North America