Summary
Olethreutes arcuella, the arched marble, is a colorful small moth species of the family Tortricidae.
Tags
Synonyms
Junior synonyms of this species are: - Olethreutes arcuellus (lapsus) - Phalaena arcuana Linnaeus, 1761 - Phalaena arcuella Clerck, 1759 - Phalaena lambergiana Scopoli, 1763 - Tortrix arcuana (Linnaeus, 1761)
Distribution
This species can be found in most of Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm, and in the Near East.
Description
Olethreutes arcuella has a wingspan of 14–18 mm. Forewings of these medium size moths have an orange-rufous ground colour, with some yellow patches, a few metallic blue-grey or silver-colored streaks and a wide black marking in the middle, which includes a row of three small, silver colored spots. The hindwings are brown. The caterpillars are purplish- gray to violet-brown and have a yellowish-brown head. This species is quite similar to Olethreutes subtilana, but has rather narrower wings.
Biology
This species usually has one generation (univoltine). The flight time of these day-active moths ranges between late May and August. The caterpillars feed on dead and dried out leaves and similar plant material. Also pupation takes place in plant debris.
Bibliography
- 🇦🇹 (2009): Online World Catalogue of the Tortricidae – Olethreutes arcuella. Version 1.3.1. Retrieved 2010-APR-19. - 🇦🇹 (2005): Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms – Olethreutes arcuellus [sic]. Version of 2005-SEP-16. Retrieved 2010-APR-19. - 🇦🇹 (1942): Eigenartige Geschmacksrichtungen bei Kleinschmetterlingsraupen ["Strange tastes among micromoth caterpillars"]. Zeitschrift des Wiener Entomologen-Vereins 27: 105-109 [in German]. PDF fulltext