This report provides a brief account of the moths observed on a holiday based at Farm Lator in north-east Hungary between 8th and 15th July 2006.
Our hosts were Rob and Barbara de Jong, with Rob acting as principal guide for the week. Rob had also arranged for an additional Hungarian Lepidoptera expert,
Sáfián Szabolcs (“Safi”), to join us to provide further moth expertise.
Our party consisted of Andy Collins, Chris Manley, Dave Green, Jenny Spence, John Chainey, Nick Montegriffo, Paul Butter, Peter Davey, Peter Eeles and Tim Norriss.
Moth recording took place at Farm Lator, the Bukk and Aggtelek National Parks, Borsodoi-Mesozeg (The Little Hortobagy), Tajvedelmi and Csernely.
Rob and Safi were able to arrange for all permits and access permissions where necessary.
Rob runs a mercury vapour lamp at Farm Lator and has a battery powered 15 watt Actinic light for use further afield.
We brought along an additional two lights for greater coverage at Farm Lator and Safi supplied a portable generator and sheet trap.
We also brought two sets of pheromone lures in order to record clearwings.
Farm Lator has an extensive library of field guides including many of the available central European micro guides.
Rob arranged for a minibus and driver to transport us to and from the airport at Budapest and to take us to the various locations during the week.
Just over 400 species of moth were recorded during the week with further micros and clearwings still awaiting final identification.
A summary list of all species seen appears at the end of this report.
Of particular interest to UK moth enthusiasts will be the many scarce or extinct resident species and uncommon immigrants that have been recorded in Great Britain and Ireland.
Those seen included:
This section contains images of some of the moths seen during the week.
All were photographed by Dave Green in Hungary, a few during a previous visit to Farm Lator in 2005.
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Nine-spotted Moth Syntomis phegea This day-flying species was seen frequently at most localities |
Gypsy Moth Lymantria dispar A few males seen flying by day in the Bukk and occasional at light at Farm Lator |
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Isle of Wight Wave Idaea humiliata Common at light at Farm Lator and frequently disturbed from vegetation by day elsewhere |
Dark Bordered Beauty Epione vespertaria A few at light at Farm Lator and Aggtelek. |
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Handmaid Dysauxes ancilla One at light at Farm Lator |
Spotted Sulphur Emmelia trabealis Occasional at light at Farm Lator and a few seen by day elsewhere |
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Cumberland Gem Eucarta amethystina A few seen each night at light at Farm Lator |
Lace Border Scopula ornata Occasional at light at Farm Lator and Bukk, also flushed from vegetation by day at Csernely |
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Calypta thalicti A close relative of the Herald Scoliopteryx libatrix. Occasional individuals at light at Farm Lator |
Hoplodrina respersa A steppe grassland Noctuid. Occasional at light at Farm Lator and Bukk |
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Shaded Fan-foot Herminia tarsicrinalis Very occasional at light at Farm Lator. More frequent earlier in the season |
Clay Fan-foot Paracolax tristalis Very common at light at Farm Lator and occasionally disturbed from vegetation by day at other localities |
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Ochraceous Wave Idaea serpentata A few individuals seen by day in the Bukk |
Silver Barred Deltote bankiana One to light at Farm Lator and singles flushed by day in the Bukk and at Aggtelek |
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Marumba quercus One to light at Farm Lator |
Sub-angled Wave Scopula nigropunctata Occasional at light and frequently encountered by day at all localities |
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Scarce Blackneck Lygephila craccae A few recorded at light most nights at Farm Lator |
Purple Cloud Actinotia polyodon Recorded in ones and twos at light most nights at Farm Lator |
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Pale Shining Brown Polia bombycina Occasional at light at Farm Lator and Aggtelek |
Catocala fulminea One to light at Farm Lator |
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Transparent Burnet Zygaena purpuralis & New Forest Burnet Zygaena viciae Both species frequent at all unimproved grassland localities |
Zygaena carniolica Frequent at all unimproved grassland localities |
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Spurge Hawk-moth Hyles euphorbiae One found wandering by day in the Bukk National Park |
unidentified Geometrid One of many unidentified caterpillars found by day resting on grass stems and other vegetation in the Bukk National Park and elsewhere |
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Hypercallia citrinalis One seen by day in the Bukk National Park |
Idaea aureolaria Seen by day all unimproved grassland localities |
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Silurian Eriopygodes imbecilla Several sat on plant stems and flower heads at Nagy-Mezo in the Bukk |
Lewes Wave Scopula immorata Seen by day all unimproved grassland localities, very occasional at light |
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Penthophera morio (male) Seen at most open grassland localities but particularly frequent at Nagy-Mezo in the Bukk |
Penthophera moria (female) |
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Ground Lackey Malacosoma castrensis Frequent at light at Farm Lator, Aggtelek and the Bukk |
Polypogon tentacularia A few at light at Farm Lator and the Bukk. Occasional individuals flushed by day elsewhere. |
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Jubilee Fan-foot Zanclognatha lunalis One flushed by day from grassland at Csernely, one to light at Farm Lator |
Scarce Hook-tip Sabra harpagula One to light at Farm Lator. |
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Idia calvaria A Noctuid closely related to the fan-foots. One to light at Farm Lator |
Noctua interposita A “yellow underwing” as yet unrecorded in the UK. Two individuals to light at Farm Lator |
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Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla One to light at Bukk |
Lamprosticta culta One to light at Bukk and one at Farm Lator |
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Pretty Marbled Deltote deceptoria One to light at Farm Lator |
Three-humped Prominent Notodonta tritophus One to light at Aggtelek |
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Dusky Clearwing Paranthrene tabaniformis Two to “tab” pheromone lures in young poplar plantation near Saly |
Slender Scotch Burnet Zygaena loti Several seen at Bukk, Aggtelek and Csernely |
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Jersey Black Arches Nola chlamytulalis A few each night at Farm Lator only |
Scarce Black Arches Nola aerugula Fairly frequent at light at all localities |
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Kent Black Arches Meganola albula A few individuals to light at Farm Lator and the Bukk |
Jersey Mocha Cyclophora ruficiliaria One to light at Farm Lator |
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Orache Moth Trachea atriplicis One to light at Farm Lator |
Drymonia querna One to light at Farm Lator |
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Guernsey Underwing Polyphaenis sericata Frequent at light at Farm Lator, Bukk and Aggtelek |
Rhyparia purpurata A few individuals to light at Farm Lator, occasionally seen by day elsewhere |
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unidentified Forester species Frequent at all open grassland localities. Possibly several species present. |
Four-spotted Tyta luctuosa Occasional at light at Farm Lator and by day elsewhere |
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Bisigna procerella A few to light each night at Farm Lator |
Minetia crinius A few to light at Aggtelek |
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Four-spotted Footman Lithosia quadra A few males at light at Farm Lator and Aggtelek |
Black V Moth Arctornis l-nigrum Several at light each night at Farm Lator, also at Aggtelek |
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Coleophora wockeella One to light at Aggtelek |
Dewick’s Plusia Macdunnoughia confusa A few, mainly worn individuals, to light at Farm Lator and one at Bukk |
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Poplar Kitten Furcula bifida One found on young hybrid poplar at Aggtelek |
Scarce Vapourer Orgyia recens One found underneath walnut tree at Farm Lator |
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Ruddy Carpet Catarhoe rubidata A few at light each night at Farm Lator |
Rannoch Looper Itame brunneata Several at light at Farm Lator on 14th July |
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Pyralis regalis A few at light at Farm Lator |
Tissue Triphosa dubitata One at light at Farm Lator |
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Tree-lichen Beauty Cryphia algae A few to light at Farm Lator |
Lygephila lusoria A “blackneck” moth, as yet unrecorded in the UK. One to light at Farm Lator |
