I think the moth in the pictures below is Dioszeghyana schmidtii (named after
two Hungarian entomologists). This is a Hungarian Red Data Book species and
listed on Annexes II & IV of the 1992 'European Habitats Directive', i.e. a
species whose conservation requires the designation of special areas of conservation
and a species in need of 'strict protection'. Recently it has been found to be more
common than originally thought but it is still considered a rare species and, furthermore, one with a restricted distribution within the continent. Its
world distribution centres on the Carpathian basin; it was long thought to
be a Pannonian bioregion endemic. The range of the species has since been shown to extend south into northern Greece
and Turkey (Korompai
2006 and see www.macrolepidoptera.hu).
Two were found amongst the 44 Orthosia cruda in a 40W
actinic light trap run overnight on the 17th to 18th April in Miskoltapolca. On 20th April I ran the trap
again, but placed it further into the bokkor-erdő. This time there were 10 (and
only 9 O. cruda). They are quite distinctive moths although the size is similar
to O. cruda. Korompai (2006) usefully summarises the distinctions in external
morphology between these two species. I don't have access to the standard reference - Ronkay et al. 2001 - so don't know if this is mentioned, but I also noted that when viewed head-on,
the palps of this moth are very noticeably longer than in typical Orthosia
cruda.
According to Korompai (2006) "D.schmidtii is an
indicator species of the xerothermic loess steppe-forests (Aceri tatarico -
Quercetum), formed by Tataric steppe-maple and oaks. It occurs most frequently
in this habitat, but it lives in addition also in other natural, well
preserved, forest-steppe-oak forests of the plain, of hill-landscapes and
foothills of mountains".
The south side of Kis Köves - a small hill on the edge of Miskolc and on the edge of the Bükk hills (but lying outside the national park boundary) does indeed seem like suitable
habitat. It has small rocky, grassy patches surrounded by low Quercus pubescens
woodland with Acer tartaricum, Prunus mahaleb, Euonymus verrucosus etc and does
include a little Quercus cerris (one of the species which has been mentioned
along with Q. pubescens and A. tartaricum as a possible food plant). I looked
for the species amongst my Orthosia catches when I was in Miskolc in the second
half of March last year but this was probably slightly too early in the season.
 |
| 40W actinic light 20/04/2013. Large well defined reniform and orbicular stigmata. |
 |
| 40W actinic light 20/04/2013. Internally the stigmata are not darker than the forewing base colour. A slightly wavy cross-line is the same colour as the edges of the stigmata. |
 |
| 40W actinic light 20/04/2013. In this photograph the asymmetrical pectination of the male antennae can be seen. According to Ronkay et al. (2001) this is a typical external characteristic of the species (see this thread on lepiforum.de). |
 |
| 40W actinic light 17/04/2013. Shot showing palps. |
 |
| 40W actinic light 17/04/2013. The ground colour appears a deeper, almost chocolate, brown in photographs taken early in the morning or in the evening. In afternoon light (first three photos) the moths have a much more ochraceous appearance. |
 |
| 40W actinic light 17/04/2013. |
References
Korompai, T. (2006). A Ponto-Mediterranean speciality of
Ronkay, L., Yela, J. L. & Hreblay, M. (2001). Hadeninae
II. - Noctuidae Europaeae. Volume 5. Soro, Entomological Press.
Other species recorded at light in these two sessions were:
Other species recorded at light in these two sessions were:
Anticlea badiata
Anticlea derivata
Conistra erythrocephala
Conistra rubiginea
Conistra vaccinii
Diurnea fagella
Drymonia ruficornis
Egira conspicillaris
Eriocrania sp.
Eupithecia abbreviata
Eupithecia dodoneata
Eupsilia transversa
Ligdia adustata
Lithophane ornitopus
Nola cicatricalis
Orthosia cerasi
Orthosia gothica
Orthosia incerta
Orthosia miniosa
Polyploca ridens
Semioscopis steinkellneriana
No comments:
Post a Comment