Query re Plumed Prominent (Ptilophora plumigera) distribution

[P. Stadel Nielsen]

you wrote:

>The Plumed Prominent (Ptilophora plumigera) occurs in Suffolk (UK) but seems
>restricted in the locations it is recorded from. We have searched (light
>trapped) for it around the county in places where there appears to be plenty
>of its foodplant but it seems to be restricted to those areas where the
>foodplant is growing on a chalky soil. Has anybody else had this experience
>of the moth being restricted to chalky areas?


Here in Denmark we have plumigera only in the southern part of the
country i.e. Falster, Lolland, Funen and southern Zealand. This
distribution is not at all related to chalk, I'd rather say the
opposite, as in the chalky areas we do not find plumigera and its
preferred food plant Acer campestris. This plant is limited to the
southern part of DK. Only in one locality in southern Zealand, we have
the species on Acer pseudoplantanoides.
Strangely plumigera is also found, locally, in southern half of
Sweden, I think it here also feeds on A. pseudopl.
The species fluctuates very much in number. Normally it flies in DK in
the first half of November. My experience is that imagines flies
either about one hour after dusk and then rests for 5-6 hours and then
comes to the light from 23.00 hours. The moths are especially
attracted to superactinic light tubes. One night we got abt. 25
females and abt. 10 males within 30 min. at dusk, and about 23.00 we
got abt. 20 males, no females. At mercury light came only a few males.
We also find the caterpillar quite easily in June.

Regards
-------
Per Stadel Nielsen
<fdki at post2.tele.dk>
Skovskellet 35 A
DK - 2840 Holte
Denmark

http://home2.inet.tele.dk/fdki
--------
"All butterflies must have happy homes"
(L.G. Higgins)




Per Stadel Nielsen
<fdki at post2.tele.dk>
Skovskellet 35 A
DK - 2840 Holte
Denmark

http://home2.inet.tele.dk/fdki
--------
"All butterflies must have happy homes"
(L.G. Higgins)