O. Merkl szerk.: Folia Entomologica Hungarica 67. (Budapest, 2006)

FOLIA ENTOMOLOGICA HUNGARICA ROVARTANI KÖZLEMÉNYEK Volume 67 2006 pp. 137-143. The occurrences of Eriogaster catax (Linnaeus, 1758) and Eriogaster lanestris (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) in the Körös Valley (Southeastern Hungary) SZ. SÁFÍÁN Szalkay József Hungarian Lepidopterological Society H-l 158 Budapest, Drégelyvár u. 13. VI.

/39, Hangar}'. E-mail: lepkeved@yahoo.co.uk Abstract - Eriogaster catax (LINNAEUS, 1758) is an endangered IUCN Red Listed species in the whole of Europe. It is also listed in the Annexes IT and IV of the Habitats Directive (Natura 2000) and in the Annex II of the Bern Convention. It frequently occurs syntopically with Eriogaster lanestris (LINNAEUS, 1758). Both species are protected in Hungary. Distributional data from the Körös Valley (Southeastern Hungary) are presented, zoogeographical connection to the Bihor Mountains (Eastern Romania) is explained, and information about the threats to the species and conservation requirements is given. With 2 figures. Key words - Eriogaster catax, Eriogaster lanestris, Prunus spinosa, Natura 2000, Körös Valley, Hungary. INTRODUCTION The distribution of Eriogaster catax (LINNAEUS, 1758) and E. lanestris (LINNAEUS, 1758) in Hungary is insufficiently known, because artificial light is generally ineffective in attracting the imagos of both species, so they are rarely found in light traps. The imagos of E. lanestris are on the wing from early March to late April, while E. catax flies from late September or early October until early November according to the local climate of the habitat and also the weather conditions during the developing period. At these times of the year most of the lepidopterists normally do not do much fieldwork, so it makes the data collecting even more difficult. The other and much easier way to find these species is searching after the larvae, which normally spend their entire life on the shoots of the foodplant (for the