Euplagia quadripunctaria

Euplagia quadripunctaria
Euplagia quadripunctaria
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Arctiidae
Genus: Euplagia
Species: E. quadripunctaria
Binomial name
Euplagia quadripunctaria
(Poda, 1761)
Synonyms
  • Phalaena quadripunctaria Poda, 1761
  • Phalaena hera Linnaeus, 1767
  • Callimorpha quadripunctaria (Poda, 1761)
  • Callimorpha hera (Linnaeus, 1767)

The Jersey Tiger, Euplagia quadripunctaria, is a moth of the family Arctiidae. It is found in Central Europe, Southern England, the Channel Islands, Southern Europe, West Russia, South Urals, Asia Minor, the Near East, Caucasus, South Turkmenistan, Iran and Rhodes.

The wingspan is 52–58 millimetres (2.0–2.3 in). The moth flies from July to August depending on the location. They tend to fly close to Eupatorium cannabinum, where they are hard to notice there because of their camouflage.

Large groups of the rare subspecies E. q. rhodosensis can be found in Petaloudes, on Rhodes on occasion, seeking shelter from the summer heat.

The caterpillars feed on Eupatorium cannabinum, nettles, Lamium, Plantago, Glechoma hederacea, but at times also shrubs such as Rubus.

Subspecies

  • Euplagia quadripunctaria quadripunctaria (Europe, Caucasus, Transcaucasus, northern Anatolia, northern Iran, southern Turkmenistan)
  • Euplagia quadripunctaria fulgida (South Turkey, Syria, Lebanon)
  • Euplagia quadripunctaria rhodosensis (Western Turkey and neighboring islands of Greece)

External links