【Dengzhou Wired Network】On the evening of September 28, the staff of the Forest Defense Station of the Dengzhou Municipal Natural Resources and Planning Bureau stumbled upon a butterfly on a rose tree, quietly hanging upside down on the back of the leaves, illuminated by the light, which was particularly eye-catching, and the slight disturbance was not alarming. This butterfly has been identified as the pointed-winged silver-gray butterfly. Curetis acuta Moore ( ) is a genus of butterflies in the family Clemis , The class of insects , and Lepidoptera , a species of butterfly in the family Clematis , the genus Silver Grey. The cupped-winged silver-gray butterfly is dioecious, the male wing surface is black-brown, and there are orange-red markings in the middle of the forewing and the outer end of the hindwing; the female wing surface is white on a black background. The male and female wings are silvery white. Autumn and winter wings are more pointed, and the wing surface markings are large and obvious. It mostly inhabits low mountains and flat streams, flies quickly, and often sucks animal feces and saprophytic juice. Wingspan: 30-40m". Host plants include wisteria, bearded branches and so on.
The appearance of the pointed-winged silver gray butterfly is not very conspicuous, but it has a very prominent habit, that is, overwintering in the form of adult insects, which is very rare in lepidopteran insects, the general moths and butterflies mostly overwinter in the form of pupae, and there are also a few overwintering in larval form, such as the white-banded claw butterfly, the boxwood silk borer, etc. The only known species of pointed-winged silver gray butterfly that winters in the adult form is currently known.
Females lay eggs on flower buds and young leaves , the larvae feed on flower buds and young leaves , the body color of the larvae varies from pink to green with the part of the plant they feed , and the larvae have two cylindrical protrusions at the tail. Pupae are pale green with a large white spot.
The larvae of the pointed-winged silver-gray butterfly larvae are also very individual, and when stimulated or frightened, the two "antennae" raised on the hips will pop pompoms and swing wildly, like the fluff balls dancing in the hands of cheerleaders, which is very joyful. But if this state is maintained frequently, it can lead to the death of the larvae.
If there is a serious disaster, it can be routinely controlled with urea or inulin agents.
Source: Dengzhou Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning