Female bear butterflies signal to males with help. Lady Bear butterfly is a summer miracle by the stream. American white butterfly
Belongs to the family of bears Arctiidae, numbering 6,000 species in the world. There are about 90 species in Russia. One group of bears is called lichen bears, they are thinner, faded and not furry. Another group is the true bears - butterflies with a thick spotted abdomen and comb-like antennae. Often butterflies are very colorfully colored - black, yellow, red, white. Most bears are twilight-nocturnal species; there are also several species that are active during the day.
It is believed that the thick “fur” of the caterpillars helps them insulate themselves on cold nights. In any case, the butterflies were called “bears” for this thick hair covering of their caterpillars. Warty hairy bear caterpillars feed on a wide range of host plants, but they are especially fond of a variety of grasses.
Among the bears there are pests - for example, the American white butterfly Hyphantria cunea. Young caterpillars of the American white butterfly build a web nest and live together in it. During the day, the caterpillars leave the nest and eat leaves, and in the evening they return to it and spend the night together. Having matured, the caterpillars leave their “native nest” and live alone, and then pupate.
Caterpillars of the bear Spilarctia imperialis also live in colonies, constructing a common web nest. This helps protect against many non-specific predators - not just any insect will get into the thick of the web. But the ground beetle Parena perforata lives right in these nests. More precisely, its larvae live in the nest and feed to their heart's content without leaving the nests of these caterpillars. The only thing that limits the larva is the size of the caterpillar: small ground beetle larvae cannot cope with a hefty caterpillar and are forced to make do with small caterpillars.
The Kaya bear is one of the most common in our country; it is distributed from the European part of Russia to Siberia and Far East. This relatively large butterfly reaches 80 mm in wingspan. Butterflies are found in July-August, their wings are colored differently, but usually brown with a yellow-white pattern - good example dismembering coloring. The hind wings and abdomen are brick red with shiny black spots. An alarmed female bear immediately opens her “camouflage” on her front wings, showing black or blue ocellated spots on her red hind wings and immediately blurts out at the person struck by her red underwear enemy with toxin from glands located in the abdomen. The caterpillars, like most bears, feed on herbaceous plants, and also on honeysuckle, mountain ash, willow, and can eat raspberries and apple trees.
It is known that many butterflies (including bears) hear well. Between the chest and abdomen, bear butterflies have a tympanic organ that hears ultrasound in the range of 3-100 kHz. Thanks to this organ, the butterfly hears an ultrasonic cry bat who is tracking her. After this, he performs an anti-mouse maneuver, falls with a turn, sits down and waits until the danger has passed.
Ursa bears are famous as the most talkative family of butterflies. Indeed, many of them make a variety of sounds. At the same time, some bears have a perfect sound apparatus (like cicadas): the timbal plates, sharply returning to their place after the muscles change their curvature, emit a loud sound. The bear butterfly locates the bat and can communicate with other individuals of its species. Some female bears can emit sound using special “castanets,” which are dense chitinous plates on the edges of their hind wings. When the wings are brought together, the plates hit each other and click. Moreover, the chamber under the folded wings serves as a resonator, amplifying the sound.
Some female bears were not satisfied with passive sound defense (evading encounters with a bat), but themselves went on the offensive: Cycnia tenera emits ultrasonic clicks of considerable force (“ticks”), which prevent bats from finding their direction. Other bears are inedible for bats. And in order to reduce the number of mutually unpleasant conflicts, mother bears, in response to the “hunting howl” of a bat, emit identification ultrasonic signals that allow them to be distinguished from other edible butterflies - something like “I am completely inedible, and you know it.” This signal is “read” by the bat as an indication that the object is inedible.
It is less known that butterfly caterpillars also hear and this is very beneficial for them. Many wasps, such as ammophila wasps, hunt butterfly caterpillars to feed their larvae. So, they track caterpillars by smell - they “sniff out” the caterpillar along the trail in the grass forest. And the caterpillar hears the wasp: it perceives its buzzing and hides - it freezes or falls from the blade of grass. True, she can hear it from a maximum of ten centimeters away, but sometimes this even saves the caterpillar’s life - how come the winged huntress hasn’t yet seen the fat caterpillar’s body, still wandering between the stems?
Butterflies got their name “bear” from the appearance of their caterpillars, whose bodies are covered with dark, long hairs. These caterpillars are really appearance They look like little bear cubs.
Dipper butterflies are perfectly protected from enemies: their blood is poisonous and bitter, and in addition, the bear has a frightening coloring. Caterpillars are also well protected; in addition to poisonous blood, they have poisonous hairs that provoke a severe allergic reaction in people.
Ursa butterflies come in medium to large sizes. As a rule, they are variegated and brightly colored. Their front wings are triangular in shape, wide and elongated. The wings are decorated with a pattern of stripes, lines and spots. The hind wings are not so variegated, yellow, red and pink. When the bear is in a calm state, her wings fold into a house.
Their body is thick and completely covered with hairs. The legs are hairy and short. The antennae are comb-like.
Lifestyle of a bear
Bears live all over the world. There are about 11 thousand species of these butterflies. About 60 species live in the European part of our country.
Basically, these butterflies lead a nocturnal or twilight lifestyle, but certain types They fly during the day, for example, the plantain bear. The mouthparts of these butterflies are not developed, so they do not feed throughout their lives.
Bear caterpillars are polyphagous; they eat many shrubs and herbaceous plants, and they also damage numerous trees.
Before pupating, the caterpillar weaves a silky, loose cocoon. She braids the falling hairs into the walls of the cocoon. Inside the cocoon, the bear's pupae are motionless.
Lady Bear
One of the notable representatives of the family in the middle zone is the lady bear. The wingspan of the butterfly reaches 55 millimeters. The hind wings of the lady bear are yellow or bright red.
These butterflies live in shady, damp places. They meet from June to July. Their habitats are ravines, rivers, forest clearings. The caterpillars eat the leaves of bushes and herbaceous plants, such as willow, blackberries and raspberries. The caterpillars spend the winter in the soil and pupate in the spring.
Kaya bear
Another widespread group of bears is the Kaya bear. These butterflies are very beautiful, and they are one of the largest in Russia, their wingspan reaches 80 millimeters.
The female bear kaya has coffee-brown forewings with white bands. The red hind wings have large black peas with a blue tint.
Kaya bears are found in late summer. The caterpillars are black and hairy. They appear in the fall and spend the winter. These caterpillars have a very thick covering of hairs, thanks to which they resemble furry animals. In times of danger, the caterpillar takes a protective position: it curls into a ring, thus protecting all its vital organs, and the body is reliably protected from enemies by thick poisonous hairs. When the caterpillars pupate, they hide under fallen trunks and stones and weave their cocoons there.
Hebe the Bear
The she-bear Hebe lives in the steppe zone of our country. The wingspan of this butterfly reaches 55 millimeters. Their forewings are light, have black spots at the outer edge, and in the center there are 3 narrow black bands. The hind wings are reddish with black spots. These are night butterflies. They fly from May to July.
Most species of this family are unusually variegated and beautifully colored. There are almost no halftones here - the combination of black, white, yellow, red spots and stripes gives these butterflies a unique look. Butterflies are usually medium-sized or large. They are nocturnal, although some species are active during the day. The caterpillars of most species are covered with dense hairs resembling fur, which perhaps explains the name of the family. Caterpillars of almost all species feed on herbaceous plants. They pupate more often in a loose cocoon. Three species of Crimean bears are listed in the Red Book of the USSR (1984). One species, the American white butterfly, is a dangerous pest.
URSA STRIPED
Spiris striata L.
Bober (1793), Melioransky (1897), Efetov, Budashkin (1987).
Wingspan 32 - 38 mm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced: males are brighter in color, the wing pattern is clearer. The proboscis is poorly developed.
The range covers Europe and Asia Minor. In the USSR, it is distributed in the European part, Kazakhstan, Southern Siberia, and Yakutia.
In Crimea it is found everywhere with the exception of the eastern part of the Southern Coast. Common in foothill forest-steppe.
Gives two generations: I - May - June, II - August - September.
The caterpillar feeds on plantain, wormwood and other herbaceous plants; hibernates.
URSA RETICAL
Coscinia cribraria L. Bober (1793).
Wingspan 38 - 43 mm.
Found in Western Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, in Siberia, in the Far East.
Mentioned for Crimea only in the work of Bober (Bober, 1793) from the Belogorsk region (“Karas Basar”).
In the European part of the USSR, butterflies fly in June - July.
The caterpillar lives on plantain, cereals and other herbaceous plants; hibernates.
URSA SPOT
Utetheisa pulchella L.
Grumm Grzhimailo (1882), Melioransky (1897), Dyakonov (1958), Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Kryukova et al. (1988).
Translated from Latin language The species name of the black bear means "pretty".
The wingspan is 32 - 45 mm. The proboscis is developed.
The species is cosmopolitan, distributed in the tropical and temperate zones of both hemispheres. In the USSR - in the south of the European part, the Caucasus, in Central Asia, in the south of Kazakhstan.
In Crimea, finds are known from Evpatoria, Sevastopol, Simferopol, Feodosia, Kerch, Miskhor, Gurzuf. However, they all date back to the end of the 19th - first half of the 20th centuries. The latest date is 1939 (Kryukova et al. 1988).
Gives three generations per year: I - May, II - July - August, III - September - October.
The caterpillar feeds on forget-me-not, blueberry, heliotrope, plantain and other herbaceous plants; hibernates.
Listed in the Red Book of the USSR (1984).
URSA KAYA
Arctia caja L.
“List of harmful insects...” (1932), Gornostaev (1970), Efetov, Budashkin (1987).
Wingspan 47 - 80 mm. The proboscis is poorly developed. The color of a butterfly can vary greatly.
Distributed from Western Europe to Japan and North America (circumtemperature range). In the USSR it is found almost everywhere (except for the Far North). An interesting fact is that this is widespread and almost everywhere normal look quite rare in Crimea. Three specimens of this species from Crimea are kept in the collection of the Zoological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Leningrad. Butterflies were caught in the area of the Angara Pass and on Mount Agarmysh (dates unknown). The above materials probably served as the factual basis for mentioning the species for the Crimea ("List of harmful insects of the USSR and adjacent countries", 1932; Gornostaev, 1970). In 1988, 12 specimens of the female bear kaya were collected in the Crimea by V. Sinyaev: “Ai-Petrinskaya yayla, At-Bash, 10 males, 1 female born on 08/13/88” and “Simeiz area, Mount Koshka female 08/17/88”.
Flight of butterflies in the European part of the USSR in June - August.
The caterpillar feeds on many herbaceous plants and is also found on raspberries, apple trees, pears, and plums. The caterpillar hibernates.
RURAL BEAR
Arctia villica L.
Grumm Grzhimailo (1882), Melioransky (1897), Lebedev (1913), “List of harmful insects...” (1932), Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987).
Wingspan 50 - 60 mm. The proboscis is weakly expressed.
Distributed in Southern and Central Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, South-Western Siberia.
Found everywhere in Crimea, mass appearance. In the Kara-Dag Nature Reserve, a population of 108 specimens per light trap per night was registered.
Gives one generation per year in April - July.
The caterpillar feeds on plantain, dandelion, yarrow, jasmine, strawberry and other herbaceous plants. It can damage the leaves of apple, pear, and raspberry trees, but does not cause significant harm. The caterpillar hibernates.
URSA HEBE
Ammobiota festiva Hfn. (=hebe L.)
"List of harmful insects..." (1932), Gornostaev (1970), Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987)
Hebe in ancient Greek mythology is the daughter of Zeus and Hera, the goddess of youth, the heavenly wife of Hercules.
The butterfly has a wingspan of 45 - 57 mm. The proboscis is not developed.
Distributed in the Middle and Southern Europe. In the USSR - in the south of the European part, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Southern Siberia.
In Crimea it is found everywhere, except in mountain forests. The species is not rare.
Flies in April - May. There are isolated finds in July - August.
The caterpillar feeds on dandelion, yarrow, milkweed and other herbaceous plants; hibernates.
HAIRY BEAR
Ocnogyna parasita Hb.
Budashkin, Efetov (1986),
Males have a wingspan of 32 - 36 mm, females have shortened wings - 22 - 24 mm. The proboscis is not developed.
Distributed in Southern Europe and Asia Minor. In the USSR - in Moldova, Crimea and the Caucasus.
In Crimea there are finds from Simferopol, Sevastopol, Sudak, and the Karadag Nature Reserve. According to observations in the Karadag Nature Reserve, the number of the species is consistently high and reaches several dozen specimens per light trap per night.
Gives one generation per year in February - April (one of the earliest butterflies of the peninsula).
The caterpillar feeds on cereals, nettles, scabiosis, poultry grass, Crimean kopeks and other herbaceous plants. The pupa overwinters in a fairly dense cocoon.
MEADOW BEAR
Diacrisia sannio L. (= russula L.)
Melioransky (1897), Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987).
"Sannio" translated from Latin means "jester", "buffoon", "clown". The butterfly apparently owes its name to its variegated coloration.
The meadow bear has pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males are distinguished by their larger sizes (wingspan 40 - 48 mm, while in females 32 - 42 mm) and lighter coloration of the wings.
Distributed in Europe. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Central Asia, Siberia.
In Crimea, the species is common in mountain forests, foothill forest-steppe, and on yailas. Very rare in the eastern part of the South Coast.
It produces two generations per year: I - May - June, II - July - September.
The caterpillar lives on nettles, bedstraw, dandelion, plantain and other herbaceous plants; hibernates.
PURPLE DURSE
Rhyparia purpurata L.
Wingspan 39 - 45 mm.
Distributed in Western Europe, Asia Minor, Korea and Japan. In the USSR it is found in the European part, the Caucasus, Siberia, and the Far East.
One male of this species was found in Crimea: “Mount Ai-Petri, born July 27, 1989, V. Kornilov, Yu. Budashkin.”
In the European part of the USSR, the butterfly flies in June - July.
The caterpillar feeds on bedstraw, wormwood, plantain, yarrow and other herbs, less often on willow, oak, birch, apple trees, and can eat up grape buds. The caterpillar hibernates.
AMERICAN WHITE BUTTERFLY
Hyphantria cunea Drury
Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987), “Pests of agricultural crops...” (1988).
Wingspan 20 - 40 mm. The proboscis is reduced. There are two forms of butterflies - with pure white wings and with white wings with less or more numerous black spots.
The homeland of this species is North America, from where it was accidentally brought to Europe with cargo. On August 5, 1940, the butterfly was found in the vicinity of Budapest. From that moment on, the non-stop march of this pest across the European continent began. In the USSR, the American white butterfly was first recorded in 1952 in the Transcarpathian region. Then it spread to Moldova, Odessa, Kherson, Nikolaev, Zaporozhye regions.
It was first discovered in Crimea in 1969. Currently, it is a widespread species on the peninsula and is found everywhere (there are no finds only on the Yaila).
It produces two generations per year: I - May - June, II - July - August.
One female can lay up to 2000 eggs. Young caterpillars live in colonies, forming large web nests. They damage up to 200 species of trees and shrubs, including apple, pear, plum, cherry, sweet cherry, quince, mulberry, Walnut, maple, linden, oak, ash, many other hardwoods. Is the most dangerous pest agriculture and forestry. The pupae overwinter.
URSA YELLOW
Spilarctia lutea Hfn. (= lubricipeda auct).
Grumm Grzhimailo (1882), “List of harmful insects...” (1932), Gornostaev (1970), Efetov, Budashkin (1987).
Wingspan 35 - 40 mm. The proboscis is poorly developed.
The species is widespread in the Palearctic. In the USSR it is found in the European part, Siberia, and the Far East.
In Crimea, the yellow bear is common in the foothill forest-steppe, mountain forests, South Coast.
At night it flies well into the light. The butterfly is found in May - August. The caterpillar feeds on nettles, bedstraw, dandelion, and other herbs. The pupa overwinters.
DURSE MINT
Spilosoma lubricipeda L. (= menthastri Esp.)
Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987).
Wingspan 35 - 42 mm. The proboscis is poorly developed.
Widely distributed in the Palearctic. In the USSR it is found in the European part, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Siberia, and the Far East.
In Crimea, this species, common in other areas, is extremely rare. We noted two specimens that were born in the Golden Field of the Kirov region and one in Karadag Nature Reserve(July 3 and August 18, respectively). The collection of Simferopol State University contains one specimen from Simferopol, caught on May 25.
Biology in Crimea is unknown.
In the south of the European part, the caterpillar feeds on mint, nettle, sorrel and other herbs. The pupa overwinters.
Ursa Nettle
Spilosoma urticae Esp.
Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987).
Wingspan 32 - 45 mm. The proboscis is reduced.
Very similar to the previous view. The differences are as follows: firstly, as a rule, the mint bear has black dots on the front wings more numerous than the nettle bear, and secondly, the mint bear has a black antennae, while the nettle bear has a white antennae.
Distributed in Europe. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, in Central Asia, Siberia, in the Far East.
In Crimea it is found everywhere, except for mountain forests and yayls. The species is common, rare on the South Coast. At night it flies into the light.
The butterfly appears in April, the last specimens can be found in August (probably two generations).
The caterpillar feeds on nettles, sorrel and other herbaceous plants. The pupa overwinters.
BEAR BEGAN
Diaphora mendica Cl.
Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987).
Wingspan 27 - 35 mm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced: in males the wings and body are brown-gray, in females they are white. The proboscis is poorly developed.
Distributed in Western Europe, Asia Minor. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, in Western Siberia.
The species is not rare in Crimea; it is found everywhere. Butterflies fly well into the light mainly in the evening and early morning.
Gives one generation per year in April - June.
The caterpillar feeds on lettuce, sorrel, forget-me-not, plantain, nettle, and other herbs. The pupa overwinters in a sparse cocoon.
BROWN BEAR
Phragmatobia fuliginosa L.
Kozhanchikov, Danilevsky, Dyakonov (1955), Gornostaev (1970), Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987).
Wingspan 32 - 38 mm.
Widely distributed in the Palearctic. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Siberia.
In Crimea, the species is common and found everywhere. Butterflies are active at night and often fly to the light.
It produces two generations a year: I - March - May, II - June-August.
The caterpillar feeds on cereals, sorrel, forget-me-not, bedstraw, lettuce and other herbs. The caterpillar hibernates.
CALM URSA BEAR
Phragmatobia placida Friv.
Kostyuk, Ivy (1987).
Wingspan 34 - 38 mm. The proboscis is not developed. Previously considered a subspecies of the brown bear. IN Lately stands out as a separate species.
It differs from the brown bear by the presence on the front wing next to a black spot closer to leading edge red dot.
Distributed in Bulgaria, Bosnia, Asia Minor. In the USSR - in Crimea, Transcaucasia, Central Asia.
In Crimea, found on Karabi-yayla (on June 9, 1986, five males were collected by I. Yu. Kostyuk during light catching).
There is no information on the biology of the species in Crimea.
SPOTTED URSA
Chelis maculosa Gern.
The butterfly has a wingspan of 30 - 35 mm. The proboscis is poorly developed.
Found in central and southern Europe. The subspecies Chelis maculosa mannerheimi Dup. is known on the territory of the USSR, differing from the nominative subspecies by a well-defined marginal row of spots on the fore wings. Recorded in the south of the European part, the North Caucasus, Southern Urals, Northern Kazakhstan, Southern Siberia.
In Crimea there are finds from Simferopol, the village of Dobroye, Sevastopol, Nizhnegorsk, Feodosia, Sudak, and the Karadag Reserve.
The species is rare on the peninsula.
In Crimea, butterflies fly from May to June and from July to September.
The caterpillar feeds on bedstraw and other herbaceous plants; hibernates.
PURE URSA
Watsonarctia deserta Bart. (= casta Esp.)
Grumm Grzhimailo (1882).
The butterfly has a wingspan of 29 - 33 mm, the proboscis is reduced.
Distributed in Central and Southern Europe, Asia Minor. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, in Eastern Kazakhstan, Southern Siberia.
There is no material from the territory of Crimea. There is only one indication from Grumm Grzhimailo about the capture of three caterpillars of this species on ivy in the southern coastal part of the peninsula. However, he failed to breed the butterflies. The author himself considered the definition dubious. To prove the presence of the species in Crimea, new findings are needed.
In the European part of the USSR, the species develops in one generation per year. Flight of butterflies in May.
The caterpillar feeds on bedstraw and other herbaceous plants. The pupa overwinters.
LADY BEAR
Callimorpha dominula L.
Melioransky (1897), Dyakonov (1958), Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Kryukova et al. (1988).
Wingspan 45 - 55 mm. The butterfly often feeds on flowers during the day and occasionally flies into the light at night.
Distributed in Europe and Asia Minor. On the territory of the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus.
In Crimea, the species is rare and local. Most of the finds (8 specimens) belong to the territory of the Crimean hunting reserve: Babugan-yayla, its northern slopes, Mount Chuchel. V. Melioransky (1897) was discovered on Mount Castel. The collection of Simferopol State University contains a copy from the outskirts of the village of Bogatoye. We discovered the species in the area of the Angarsk Pass. - "08/3/1985 K. Efetov."
Gives one generation per year in July - August.
The caterpillar feeds on nettles, strawberries, forget-me-nots, blackberries, raspberries, willows, and poplars; hibernates.
Listed in the Red Book of the USSR (1984). Protected on the territory of the Crimean Game Reserve.
URSA HERA
Euplagia quadripunctaria Poda (= hera L.)
Grumm Grzhimailo (1882), Melioransky (1897), Vuchetich (1917), Kuznetsov (1926), “List of harmful insects...” (1932), Kozhanchikov, Danilevssy, Dyakonov (1955), Dyakonov (1958), Gornostaev ( 1970), “Pests of agricultural crops...” (1974), Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987), Kryukova et al. (1988), Gusev (1989).
Hera in ancient greek mythology - eldest daughter Crona and Rhea, sister and wife of Zeus, queen of the gods, mistress of the forces of nature, patroness of marriage and conjugal love.
The she-bear Hera has a wingspan of 50 - 55 mm. The butterfly feeds on flowers during the day and often flies to the light at night.
Distributed in Europe, Asia Minor, Iran, Syria. In the USSR - in the central and southern regions of the European part, in the Caucasus, in Turkmenistan (Kopet Dag).
In Crimea, the species is found in all natural areas, common, gravitates towards bushes, open woodlands, and dry forests.
Gives one generation per year in June - August.
The caterpillar feeds on plantain, clover, gorse, honeysuckle willowherb, hazel, raspberries, blackberries, as well as oak and beech. The caterpillar hibernates.
Listed in the Red Book of the USSR (1984). But in Crimea it has a consistently high population and a non-shrinking range.
BLOODY BEAR
Turia jacobaeae L.
Melioransky (1897), Vuchetich (1917), Efetov, Budashkin (1987), Budashkin (1987).
Males have a wingspan of 37 - 39 mm, females 30 - 33 mm. The proboscis is poorly developed.
Distributed in Europe. In the USSR - in the European part, in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Southern Siberia.
In Crimea it is found in the steppe, foothill forest-steppe, and on the southern coast. Common.
Gives one generation per year in April - June. The caterpillar feeds on poisonous meadow ragwort (Senecio jacobaea L.). The pupa overwinters in a thin cocoon.
Butterflies are usually brightly and variegated in color, with a thick body, and more or less large. Unlike cutworms, the abdomen is often brightly colored, with spots or stripes that stand out against the general background. Small species are mostly not brightly colored. Males have comb-like antennae, bare eyes, and a short proboscis, often reduced. Gus. very hairy (hence the name of the family). Most species of this family feed on grasses, plants, geese. lichens - on lichens and liverworts. Over 50 species have been discovered in the European part of the USSR.
1.! URSA BEAR (Arctia caja L.). 47-80 mm. Years in VI-VIII. The species is very variable. Range - almost the entire European part, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Siberia. Gus. polyphagous, feed on a wide variety of grasses, plants, as well as some trees and bushes. Black, with very long black hairs, gray at the tip. At the end of spring they live in meadows, on many grasses. rast. The pupa is black, in a soft cocoon with woven hairs.
2. VILLAGE BEAR (Epicallia villica L. (Arctia). 50-60 mm. Years VI-VII. Common, except for the northern ones. Hussies live on plantain, nettle, yarrow, strawberry and other herbal plants. Because variations in the pattern on the wings of butterflies distinguish several of their varieties. Distributed in the southern and middle regions of the European part, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The geese are black, with brown hairs and a dark red head. The pupa is black, the abdominal rings with red cutouts, in white - gray cocoon.
3.! URSA HERA (Euplagia quadripunctaria Poda. (Callimorpha hera L.). 50-55 mm. Years at the end of VII-VIII. Range - middle zone, south. Flies during the day. Distributed in the southern, partly in the middle regions of the European part, on Caucasus and Central Asia. Loves mountainous areas. Gus. found on plantain, clover, fireweed, gorse, oak and beech. Black or gray with a yellow or orange dorsal stripe and yellow lateral stripes, with orange warts bordered with black. In the lutenscens variety The hind wings and abdomen are not red, but yellow.Butterflies need protection.
4. HOST BEAR (Pericallia matronula L.). 70-80 mm. Years in VI-VII. It is found in the middle regions and southern Siberia. Gus. live on bird cherry, honeysuckle, hazel, hawkweed, plantain, blueberry, dandelion, etc. The color is dark brown.
5. URSA HEBE (Ammobiota hebe L. (Arctia). 47-53 mm. Years in V-VII. Range - middle and southern regions of the USSR, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Southern Siberia. Not common. Gus. develop on yarrow , milkweed, quinoa, dandelion and other herbal plants.Black, with long gray-black and rusty hairs.
6. LADY BEAR (GIRL) (Panaxia dominula L. (Callimorpha). 45-55 mm. VI-VII years old. Flies in the middle, southern and partly northern regions, in the Caucasus. Females have red hind wings and abdomen, males - yellow. Geese are polyphagous, live on various grasses, plants, nettles, strawberries, raspberries, willows, poplars, etc. They are black and blue, with yellow hairs and spots on the back and sides.
7.! PURPLE DIPPER (Rhyparia purpurata L.). 42-45 mm. Flies during the day, in VI-VII. Gus. polyphagous, develop on wormwood, yarrow, plantain and other herbs, less often on willows, bird cherry, raspberries, apple trees, etc. The butterfly is common in our middle, northern, and partially southern regions, the Caucasus and Southern Siberia. Gus. black, with reddish and yellowish hairs. Butterflies need protection.
8. MEADOW BEAR (Diacrisia sannio L.) - male. Males 40-48 mm, females 35-42 mm. Years in VI-IX. Gus. develop on nettle, bedstraw, plantain, dandelion and other herbs. rast.
9. MEADOW BEAR - female (smaller than male).
10. BLOODY BEAR (Hypocrita jacobaee L.). 30-39 mm. Years in V-VI. Gus. live on the godson. The butterfly is cylindrical, black, found throughout the European part, except the northern part, but with gaps.
11. Plantain bear (Parasemia plantaginis L.) - male. 32-37 mm. Years in V-VII. It is found almost throughout Europe and Siberia, in forests. Gus. live on plantain and other herbs. rast. The color is black, with red in the middle.
12. Plantain bear - female.
13. POPLAR LICHEN (Eilema complana L. (Lithosia). 32-35 mm. Years VI-VIII. In our country it is widespread in the middle regions in coniferous forests. Gus. live on various lichens; blackish, with a black dorsal line with white spots.
14. AMERICAN WHITE BUTTERFLY (Hyphantria cunea Drury.) - male. 25-40 mm. Years in V-VIII. Area - southwest. Gus. polyphagous, damage up to 200 garden, forest and agricultural plants. At mass reproduction very harmful. The butterfly was brought from the USA at the beginning of the Second World War (discovered for the first time in Hungary, and in 1952 in Transcarpathia).
15. AMERICAN WHITE BUTTERFLY - female.
16. WHITE STRIPED BEAR (Coscinia cribraria L. (Callimorpha cribrum L.) - female. 38-43 mm. Years VI-VII. Geese. Found on heather, cereals and other herbal plants.
17. YELLOW STRIPED BEAR (Euprepia striata L. (Callimorpha, Coscinia) - male. 32-35 mm. Years VI-VII. Geese live on heather, cereals, wormwood and other herbal plants.
18. BROWN-YELLOW BEAR (Huphoraia aulica L.). 35-40 mm. Years in V-VI. Gus. develop on peas, plantain, yarrow and other herbs. rast.
19. MOCKED BEAR (Spilosoma menthastri Esp.). 35-42 mm. Years in V-VI. Gus. live on nettle, buckwheat, mint, sorrel and other herbs. rast.
20. URSA SPOT (Utetheisa pulchella L.). 32-40 mm. Years in V-IX. Area - MS. strip, south. Gus. develop on plantain, forget-me-not and other herbs. rast.
21. BROWN BEAR (Phragmatobia fuliginosa L.). 32-38 mm. Years in V-VIII. Area - MS. strip, south. Gus. polyphagous, live on grass. rast. Sometimes they harm beets and other garden plants.
22. FOURSPOTTED LICHEN (Lithosia quadra L. (Oeonistis) - female. 44-52 mm. Years VI-VIII. Found everywhere except in the north. Hussies. live on lichens, trunks of oaks, beeches, pine trees, chestnuts and fruit trees, often on the leaves of these trees.
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 was noted in South America– 5 thousand species, 150 species of bear butterflies live in Russia. Unusual name the family owes its appearance to the 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. temperate zone Lives the brightly colored lady bear butterfly. 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.
Description of the species
The lady bear (Callimorphadominula) belongs to the large family of Lepidoptera, the female bear. A medium-sized insect with a wingspan of 45-55 mm. The front wings are black with a blue or green tint. They are covered with chaotically scattered yellow and white spots of irregular shape. The pattern varies among different individuals. The hind wings are smaller than the front wings and are colored bright red, orange or yellow. Along the edge there are black spots and bands.
Lady Bear Butterfly
Information. Synonyms for the name are: bear-girl and bear-hostess.
The head is black, the eyes are bulging, they occupy it most. The antennae are black, thread-like. Distinctive feature type - availability oral apparatus. Many butterflies of the family do not feed, but the lady bear has a developed proboscis, which allows it to drink the nectar of flowers. In a free state, the organ is coiled in the shape of a spiral.
The body of the imago is thickened, densely covered with hairs. The chest is black, there are two on the back yellow stripes. The abdomen is red with a wide longitudinal stripe of black color. Walking legs are short.
Distribution area
The species is distributed in the Palearctic zone. In Europe it lives on large territory, northern border - Sweden. Found in Asia, the Middle East - Turkey, Iran. In Russia it lives in the central, southwestern, and northwestern regions. Butterfly in large quantities lives in the Caucasus. The species is observed in the south of the Ural Mountains.
Lifestyle
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;
- jasmine;
- buttercup;
- geranium.
- C. d. philippsi – Azerbaijan, northern Iran;
- C. d. rossica – Caucasus. Transcaucasia;
- C. D. 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. Defense 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.
Reproduction
Lepidoptera are insects with complete transformation. The lady bear gives birth to one generation per year. Caterpillars appear 6-8 days after laying. At the first instar they are light yellow, with a large round head and many hairs on the body. The offspring are polyphagous; in addition to the plants listed above, the caterpillars prefer to feed on raspberries, blackberries, willows, nettles, honeysuckle, and forget-me-nots.
The adult larva is black and blue with bright yellow longitudinal stripes on the back and sides. The burning hairs on the caterpillar's body are collected in bunches. The yellow stripes are interrupted by black and white warts. Caterpillars enter winter diapause. They wrap themselves in a light, loose cocoon and hide among the foliage and plant debris. Pupation occurs in May of the following year. The pupa is dark brown.
How to save butterflies?
Variegated butterflies Callimorphadominula became one of the many victims economic activity person. Their number is declining everywhere, in some regions they remained in single copies, and were included in the Red Books of regions as rare view. Protective measures efforts to preserve the number of insects are being undertaken in 20 regions of the Russian Federation. The lady bear butterfly is also included in the appendix to the Red Book of Russia.
There are several reasons for the decline in butterfly numbers:
- Burning grass in the forest-steppe habitat.
- Reducing the area of biotypes suitable for life and reproduction - wet meadows with forbs, forest edges.
- Removing fallen leaves in which the insect overwinters.
- Isolation of local populations, making it difficult for the species to spread to new territories.
- Grazing of livestock, uncontrolled haymaking, direct destruction of butterflies.
Among the protective measures taken to preserve the species are regulation of recreational load, control of grazing and haymaking in forest clearings. In the habitats of the female bear, regulated use of insecticides is introduced. Great importance has the identification of new habitats of butterflies and taking them under protection.