Caradrina morpheus
(Hufnagel, 1766)
Mottled Rustic
Caradrina morpheus, the Mottled Rustic, is a with a broad Palearctic distribution spanning northern Europe to Siberia, Amur, and Korea, with additional records in Armenia and Turkestan. The was accidentally to eastern and western Canada, where it has established from New Brunswick to Ontario in the east and in British Columbia in the west. in a single from mid-May to August in western Europe, though timing varies regionally. The feed on herbaceous plants including nettle and dandelion.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Caradrina morpheus: //kəˈrædrɪnə ˈmɔːrfiːəs//
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Identification
Diagnostic features include: pale to darker brown with possible appearance; darker clearly defined; antemedian ; postmedian line poorly defined; subterminal line pale with darker mottled suffusion; with dark between ; pale glossy with small discal spot. Distinguished from similar Caradrina by the combination of dentate antemedian line, poorly defined postmedian line, and the pale glossy white hindwing with small discal spot.
Images
Appearance
Wingspan 32–38 mm; length 13–16 mm. Forewing dull dark fuscous with greyish tinge, variable from pale to darker brown with possible appearance. Inner and outer obscure, double, with arms widely separated. Subterminal line grey with dark suffusion on inner side. and cloudy fuscous, the latter with slight fulvous stain on outer edge at middle. dull whitish to pale glossy with small discal spot; cellspot, toward , and slight subterminal line grey.
Distribution
range: Palearctic, from northern Europe across Siberia to Amur and Korea; also Armenia and Turkestan. range: eastern Canada (New Brunswick to Ontario) and western Canada (British Columbia), where established through accidental introduction.
Seasonality
Single ; from mid-May to August in Belgium and the Netherlands. timing varies in other parts of the range.
Diet
feed on various herbaceous plants including nettle (Urtica) and dandelion (Taraxacum). feeding habits not specified.
Host Associations
- Urtica - larval nettle
- Taraxacum - larval dandelion
Life Cycle
Single-brooded (). greyish or dark brown with paler bearing dark irregular edges; row of blackish sagittate (arrowhead-shaped) markings; darker spiracular line; brown with dark speckling. details not specified.
Human Relevance
Accidentally to Canada, where it has established on both east and west coasts. Not known to cause significant economic or ecological impact.
Similar Taxa
- Other Caradrina speciesshare general 'rustic' appearance; distinguished by specific pattern details including antemedian , poorly defined postmedian line, and pale with small discal spot
More Details
Nomenclature
Originally described as Phalaena morpheus by Johann Siegfried Hufnagel in 1766.
Regional variation
season data from Belgium and the Netherlands; timing may differ in other parts of the and ranges.