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- Urticaria caterpillar
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- Urticaria caterpillar
The urticaria caterpillar is one of the most common insects that can be found in central Russia and beyond. She has a fairly wide habitat. Also found in Siberia, Asia Minor, Japan, China, Mongolia, Korea. Representatives of this species are often found in many CIS countries: Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, Moldova. These are very stable individuals, so they can be found even high in the mountains.
Exterior Features
The adult butterfly is striking in its beauty.
- It has a bright orange or brick color.
- Each wing has its own unique pattern. It is like a human fingerprint. In nature, there are no two identical patterns.
- The nettle caterpillar is black or dark in color. Elongated yellow stripes are located along the entire body.
- The body also has short villi. In length, it reaches 5 cm.
On a note!
Looking at the photo of the urticaria caterpillar, it is easy to confuse it with daytime caterpillars peacock eye. These two species have many similarities in appearance. In order to reliably determine the identity of an individual, one should pay attention to the plant on which it was found.
Power Features
As food use stinging nettle leaves, dioecious nettle, and nettle. Also, in the list of what the caterpillar of urticaria feeds on, other representatives of nettle are distinguished: hops, hemp, sowing and others.
Interesting!
In France, butterflies of this species are called turtles, and in Germany, fox butterflies.
Pests are very gluttonous. This is because for full pupation and turning into a butterfly they need a lot of energy. A large number of individuals can lead to the death of the plant on which they settled.
Development
The culture that feeds on urticaria caterpillars is also their home. Pests live in families, rarely creep. After the pupation time comes, they place their pupae directly on the same plants.
There are 2 periods when a caterpillar of urticaria appears. The first generation hatches in late spring and early summer. This is May-June.
Important!
In the southern latitudes, during the warm period, 2-3 generations of urticaria caterpillars manage to grow.
The second generation is born in July-August. Adult moths go for wintering, hiding in hollows and under the bark of trees. Only fertilized individuals survive the cold. A butterfly may even freeze through, but even this will not kill her. With the onset of heat, she will return to life again.
The caterpillar of the urticaria butterfly is not afraid of stinging nettle and actively occupies it for its place of residence. During the growing period, it goes through several stages of molting. After each increases in size. In 30 days it is able to grow up to 5 cm. The transformation from a pupa to an adult takes a couple of weeks.
Nettle black caterpillars can be found in parks, meadows, near summer cottages and private houses. They also often choose the habitat of the valley and mountainous terrain. If a large number of black caterpillars have stuck around a nettle leaf, then this is a urticaria and in 2-3 weeks you will be able to see very beautiful butterflies.
