Spanish Moon Moth caterpillar, oruga de mariposa isabelina

Description:

Caterpillar of a very rare moth, the spanish moon moth. It is the 5th instar. The moth hatch from the cocoon at the end of April and beginning of May. After copulation the female lays about 100 to 150 eggs on the favoured foodplant, pines. The larva hatch after 1 to 1.5 weeks a still begin to eat from the very hard pine needles. It takes about 1.5 month to see the last instar of the caterpillars. In the last instar the caterpillars go down from the tree to pupate under leaves on the ground. In this phase the pupae in the cocoon overwinters until next springtime. This moth primarily eats the needles of of only native pine trees

Habitat:

Only in a few locations of Spain and South France at high altitude pine forests. Spotted at Sierra de Guadarrama, in a pine forest, at 1600 meter high.

Notes:

Until very recently it was denominated Graellsia isabellae. Camera Model: NIKON D300. Exposure Time: 1/500 sec.; f/11.0; ISO Speed Rating: 400. Focal Length: 300.0 mm.