Griposia aprilina explained

Griposia aprilina, also known as the merveille du jour, is a moth of the family Noctuidae, found in Asia and Europe. The species was first described by the Swedish taxonomist, Carl Linnaeus in his 1758, 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

Technical description and variation

Forewing whitish green; lines and markings velvety black, the median shade especially thick; upper stigmata large; all the black markings emphasised by white; hindwing blackish grey; the cellspot, outer line, and submarginal shade darker; a white terminal space before the black marginal line; the ab. bouveti Lucas, from France, has the head, thorax, and forewings greener, the median area of forewing without black markings.^[1]

Biology

The moth flies in September and October and comes to light.^[2]

OvumLaid singly or in small numbers on branches, or in crevices in the bark of oak trees (Quercus species).^[3]

LarvaThe eggs hatch as the buds swell and the young larva bore into a bud which conceals them as they feed. They than feed on the flowers and grow rapidly and finally on the leaves. Larvae are greenish black, with a fulvous tinge; a dorsal series of dark medallions; dorsal line pale, interrupted, with black edges; spiracular line pale like the venter.^{[3] [4]}

PupaIn a large, tough cocoon, near the soil surface and usually among the roots of an oak.^[3]

Distribution

It ranges from Sardinia and south-east Russia (foothills of the Ural Mountains to the Black Sea) from the southernmost part of Norway and Saint Petersburg through northern and central Europe to southern France and northern Italy, as well as in Castile. Also in western and central Anatolia and the Caucasus. Also in Asia minor. There is recent evidence from the Alborz mountain range.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]}

External links

• Griposia aprilina on Norfolkmoths.co.uk
• Griposia aprilina on Lepiforum.de
• Griposia aprilina on Vlindernet.nl

Notes and References

1. Seitz, A. Ed., 1914 Die Großschmetterlinge der Erde, Verlag Alfred Kernen, Stuttgart Band 3: Abt. 1, Die Großschmetterlinge des palaearktischen Faunengebietes, Die palaearktischen eulenartigen Nachtfalter, 1914
2. Web site: Kimber . Ian . 73.224 BF2247 Merveille du Jour Griposia aprilina (Linnaeus, 1758) . UKmoths . 2 August 2023.
3. Book: Lorimer . R I . Heath . John . Emmet . A Maitland . John Heath (entomologist) . A. Maitland Emmet . Cuculliinae. In The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 10 . 1983 . . Colchester . 0-946589-01-1 . 82–3.
4. Robinson . Gaden S. . Ackery . Phillip R. . Kitching . Ian J. . Beccaloni . George W. . Hernández . Luis M. . amp . 2010 . Search the database - introduction and help . HOSTS - A Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants . Natural History Museum, London. 10.5519/havt50xw .
5. Lázló Ronkay, José Luis Yela & Márton Hreblay: Hadeninae II. In: Michael Fibiger & Martin Honey (Hrsg.): Noctuidae Europaeae. Band 5, Entomological Press, Sorø 2001, ., S. 164f
6. Web site: Savela . Markku . 12 May 2020 . Dichonia aprilina (Linnaeus, 1758) . Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms . 18 November 2020.
7. Web site: Dichonia aprilina. Bert Gustafsson. 9 October 2011. Naturhistoriska riksmuseet. 6 January 2013.
8. Web site: 2247 Merveille-du-Jour (Griposia aprilina). Mike Wall. Hants Moths. 29 March 2017.