After forty years: recent observations of Hypenodes pannonica FIBIGER, PEKARSKY & RONKAY, 2010 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Hypenodinae)

Abstract

Hypenodes pannonica Fibiger, Pekarsky & Ronkay, 2010 was known by its type series only, collected from 1936 to 1983. It is thought to be an endemic species for the Carpathian Basin. After nearly 40 years, in 2022, the species has been observed again, when a specimen was found in Gyula, Békés county, Hungary, on 4th July. Eleven further specimens were observed there during 5 events until 3rd August. The moth was seen also in Tiszadob, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county; 1 specimen was photographed there. Data of all these specimens were uploaded to the citizen science portal www.izeltlabuak.hu. Another, also new locality for the species is Tápiószentmárton-Göbölyjárás, Pest county, where 1 specimen was found on 12th August and 2 specimens on 18th August. These three moths were collected and deposited in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. The new observations encompass a period 12 days longer than that of the old records. The occurrence in Göbölyjárás is the first locality in Pest county and it is the second most western locality of the species. The habitat in Gyula, i.e. the Kisökörjárás park forest strongly differs from the old records i.e. open marshlands with dense vegetation and sparse wooded patches. The latter type of habitat is most similar to the locality in Göbölyjárás. In Tiszadob, the species was found in the garden of a castle, close to a large area of gallery forest near the river Tisza. The first records of H. pannonica on bait (sugar rope) are published here, from Tiszadob and Göbölyjárás; old records are from artificial light only. Light sources were also operated together with the baits (125 W HgL bulb, 8 W BL tube, LEDs with different spectra), none of them attracted the species. Searching with headlamp gave no result. In Gyula, all observations occurred on sheet and nearby objects illuminated by LED light, the specimens were present at light from ca. 22:00 to 22:50, at maximum 50 cm from soil level. Resting specimens hold their wings slightly roof-like, covering the body and only the apex touching the surface. Hindwings are covered by the forewings, only the dorsa of the latter wings touch each other. These are the first data to be published on the behaviour of the species, and the first field photographs on live specimens in any scientific paper are also published by us.