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Biology

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Adults of this single-brooded moth fly in July and August. The caterpillars are present from September to May (2) feeding on bilberry and ling at first, but progressing to young leaves on low branches of small birch trees after the over-wintering period (1).
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Conservation

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The Species Action Plan produced for the Cousin German moth as part of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) aims to maintain the present range of the species. Some populations are located within existing Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and nature reserves. Conservation action targeted at other threatened species that occur within Scottish pine forests, such as the Scottish wood ant Formica aquilonia, will also benefit the Cousin German moth (1).
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Description

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Cousin German (Protolampra sobrina, formerly known as Paradiarsia sobrina) is a rare moth that has dark brown forewings with a purplish tinge and paler hind-wings, which become darker towards the outer margins (3).
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Habitat

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Inhabits birch woods and old Caledonian pine forests, where there are large spaces between individual trees (1) and a ground layer of bilberry (Vaccinium) (4).
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Range

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Known from a just few locations in the central Scottish Highlands. It has been mostly recorded in Rannoch and Aviemore and less frequently from Strathspey and the Dee Valley (1).
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Status

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Classified as Rare in Great Britain (1).
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Threats

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This species has suffered as a result of burning and unsuitable grazing regimes in the birch and pinewood pastures it inhabits (1). As a northern moth, global warming is a long-term threat (4).
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Protolampra sobrina

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Protolampra sobrina, the cousin german, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1843. It is found in most of Europe, then east across the Palearctic to Siberia, Altai, Irkutsk, Kamchatka and Korea.

The wingspan is 34–39 mm. Meyrick describes it - Antennae in male shortly ciliated. Head deep ferruginous-reddish. Forewings rather dark purplish-brown; lines very indistinctly darker-margined, median shade faintly darker; orbicular and reniform indistinctly outlined with darker, lower end of reniform darker; subterminal line somewhat paler. Hindwings light fuscous, darker terminally. Larva brown-reddish; sides grey-freckled; dorsal and subspiracular lines pale; dots minute, black; head brownish ochreous.[1]

Similar species

Protolampra sobrina is difficult to certainly distinguish from its congeners. See Townsend et al.[2]

Figs. 1, 1a, 1b, 1c larvae in various stages

The larvae feed on Rosa acicularis, Sorbus aucuparia, Calluna vulgaris and Vaccinium uliginosum. Adults are on wing from July to August.

References

  1. ^ Meyrick, E., 1895 A Handbook of British Lepidoptera MacMillan, London pdf Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ Martin C. Townsend, Jon Clifton and Brian Goodey (2010). British and Irish Moths: An Illustrated Guide to Selected Difficult Species. (covering the use of genitalia characters and other features) Butterfly Conservation.

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Protolampra sobrina: Brief Summary

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Protolampra sobrina, the cousin german, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel in 1843. It is found in most of Europe, then east across the Palearctic to Siberia, Altai, Irkutsk, Kamchatka and Korea.

The wingspan is 34–39 mm. Meyrick describes it - Antennae in male shortly ciliated. Head deep ferruginous-reddish. Forewings rather dark purplish-brown; lines very indistinctly darker-margined, median shade faintly darker; orbicular and reniform indistinctly outlined with darker, lower end of reniform darker; subterminal line somewhat paler. Hindwings light fuscous, darker terminally. Larva brown-reddish; sides grey-freckled; dorsal and subspiracular lines pale; dots minute, black; head brownish ochreous.

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