Habitat/Larvae S.s.terrestris

[uwe]

find enclosed a picture of the habitat and a larvae of S.s.teresstris (feb 2004) in the taunus near Frankfurt

Uwe

 

[paul]

Hi Uwe,
Febr. 04 - can you give an estimation to the age of this larva? Maybe an effect of the photo, but it did not look like a very young one.
The earliest date I found young larvae (some days) here near Düsseldorf was the end of January.

Paul

 

[uwe]

Hallo Paul,

the larvae was probably more than 4 (more likely 6) weeks old. Picture was taken 15.Feb. 2004. So the larvae was deposited in the beginning of January, maybe even earlier.

I think that even some over winter in Germany in the recent years.

uwe

 

[paul]

Thanks Uwe!
In some habitats they surely over winter.
I think it differs with the conditions of the habitats. In the "Bergische Land" (Solingen/Wuppertal) I never found new born larvae earlier then in April, and I never found over wintering larvae. Flow of the Brooks is too strong in spring.
In an other habitat here near Düsseldorf I find new born larvae very early each year - brooks are often dry in summer.

Paul

 

[ingo]

Hi Paul and Uwe,

in our area, you can find newborn larvae also in fall. Yesterday I counted about 20 larvae, from which the smallest were 2,5 cm long, the biggest about 3,5 cm. Not to speak about the number you won´t find, because they hide well...

Some of them surely over winter, for I can find big larvae (> 5 cm) already in April, which morph about May/June dependent on weather conditions.