Antigastra catalaunalis

(Duponchel, 1833)

  • Subfamily: Spilomelinae
  • Wingspan: 16-21 mm
  • Flight period: Apr - Oct
  • Spread:Common
  • Host plants: Pedaliaceae, Plantaginaceae

Information

The Antigastra catalaunalis is a moth of the Crambidae family, subfamily Spilomelinae, with a wingspan of 16-21 mm.
In Europe it is encountered in Portugal, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Sweden, Holland, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania and Greece. In Italy it is also present in the islands. *
It is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas but it is not difficult to find it in other areas due to its migratory nature.

The adults are ocher in color with a network of darker lines, the tip of the wing is pointed, the edge of the wings is brown in color. The costa is thick with a dark ocher color. The rear wings are translucent white, with intense ocher shades along the edge and thicker near the apex, where a small ovoid spot of faded brown is also visible.
Palpi, head, thorax and abdomen are ocher in color.

The Antigastra catalaunalis flies from April to late autumn and it is also recognizable by its typical resting position.
Antigastra catalaunalis has long been considered a parasite of Sesamum indicum (sesame), especially in India.

Sesame arrived as a plant grown in Egypt and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa during the Greek Empire phase, and the moth also came along with the plant. The caterpillar is green with black spots and sparse short hairs. The head is small and brown and wedge-shaped. ** The larva lives within a number that varies from 3 to 9 spun leaves, feeds on young shoots and subsequently on the seeds of Linaria sp.. *** When adults are disturbed, they are also visible during the day.

The larvae feed on Pedaliaceae, in particular on Sesamum indicum (sesame) and Sesamum angolense and on Plantaginaceae such as Kickxia sp. and Anarrhinum sp .. ****


* Lepidoptera mundi https://lepidoptera.eu/ - Fauna Europea https://fauna-eu.org/
** Australian Caterpillars and their Butterflies and Moths - http://lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/spil/catalaunalis.html
*** Bred from Linaria elatine (MURRIA & KING, 1999), Antirrhinum spp. and Sesamum indicum.
**** Bestimmungshilfe für die in Europa nachgewiesenen Schmetterlingsarten - http://lepiforum.de/

Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis
Antigastra catalaunalis