A new host plant record for Dioszeghyana schmidtii (Dioszeghy, 1935) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Greece: implications for larval ecology and conservation

Received: 2 September 2025; accepted: 3 November 2025 · Editor: Mario Langourov 373 Historia naturalis bulgarica 47 (12): 373–376 ISSN 2603-3186 (online) | ISSN 0205-3640 (print) · nmnhs.com/historia-naturalis-bulgarica https://doi.org/10.48027/hnb.47.121 Publication date [online]: 1 December 2025 Research article A new host plant record for Dioszeghyana schmidtii (Dioszeghy, 1935) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Greece: implications for larval ecology and conservation Angelos Tsikas Laboratory of Forest Protection and Environmental Pollution, Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece, [email protected] ✉; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9754-5135 � Abstract: I report the first larval host plant record for the rare and protected noctuid moth Dioszeghyana schmidtii (Dioszeghy, 1935) in Greece. Two larvae were observed feeding on Valonia oak Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis in a fire-affected Mediterranean oak forest north of Alexandroupoli, Evros (northeastern Greece), representing a previously undocumented host plant association for this species. This finding expands the known ecological amplitude of D. schmidtii, whose biology remains largely unknown despite its inclusion in Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive. The finding occurred near a Natura 2000 site recently affected by the catastrophic wildfires of 2023, highlighting the importance of post-fire monitoring for rare Lepidoptera. This short communication contributes to the biological knowledge and conservation planning of D. schmidtii and underscores the need for further ecological study of early life stages in noctuid moths of conservation concern. Keywords: host plant, larval ecology, Lepidoptera, Mediterranean forest, Noctuidae, Valonia oak Introduction Understanding the ecological requirements of rare or protected insect species is critical for their conservation. Dioszeghyana schmidtii (Dioszeghy, 1935), a noctuid moth associated with xerothermic oak woodlands, is protected under Annexes II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and the Bern Convention (ETS No. 104) due to its rarity and specialised habitat requirements (Lepiforum, 2024). Its populations are primarily found in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, with few recent records (Hacker, 1989; Korompai, 2016; Ronkay et al., 2001). It is considered a Ponto-Mediterranean faunal element and a postglacial relict of biogeographical importance. Despite its conservation status, its larval ecology remains poorly documented, with confirmed host plant associations limited to Quercus cerris and Q. pubescens (Turčáni et al., 2010; Korompai, 2014), underscoring a specialised relationship with thermophilous oak-dominated habitats (Rákosy, 1996). While Acer tataricum and A. campestre were historically considered primary hosts (König, 1971), recent studies emphasise Q. cerris as the critical larval resource (Korompai & Kozma, 2004; Korompai, 2014). In Greece, D. schmidtii populations are poorly documented, with no prior host plant records beyond generalised Quercus associations (Hacker 1989). Here, I report the first evidence of larval D. schmidtii feeding on Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis (Kotschy) Hedge & Yalt., a Mediterranean oak dominant in lowland forests of northern Greece and western Turkey. This record emerges from a region affected by the large-scale wildfires of 2023, suggesting that southern populations may utilise a broader set of host trees and persist in postdisturbance conditions. Material and methods Fieldwork was conducted on 9 May 2025 in oak woodlands north of Alexandroupoli, Evros, Greece Angelos Tsikas 374 Historia naturalis bulgarica 47 (2025) (40°57′03″N; 26°07′05″E), adjacent to burned zones from the 2023 wildfires (Fig. 1). The site was surveyed using standard larval beating techniques. Terminal branches of oak trees were tapped over a 1metre beating sheet. Two larvae displaying key morphological characters of D. schmidtii were collected from two separate individuals of Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis. Larvae were photographed in situ, examined visually, and returned to their branches. Fig. 1. Habitat of Dioszeghyana schmidtii (Dioszeghy, 1935) at the survey site in northern Greece (May 2025), showing open oak woodland dominated by Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis (Kotschy) Hedge & Yalt. (photo: A. Tsikas). Fig. 2. Lateral and dorsal view of a larva identified as Dioszeghyana schmidtii on a lower branch of Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis, displaying characteristic morphological features including a brownish-grey dorsum and a deeply undulate pale lateral stripe (photo: A. Tsikas). A new host plant record for Dioszeghyana schmidtii from Greece: implications for larval ecology and conservation 375Historia naturalis bulgarica 47 (2025) Identification was based on established diagnostic characters (Turčáni et al., 2010). Results and discussion The larvae collected shared the following features: a cylindrical body with brownish-grey dorsal colouration, a deeply undulated pale lateral stripe extending across abdominal segments, large dark pinacula at the setae bases, and the absence of dorsal tufts or tubercles. These characters correspond with published descriptions and imagery of D. schmidtii larvae (Hreblay, 1993; Turčáni et al., 2010). This is the first confirmed association of D. schmidtii with Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis. Previous studies from Central Europe reported larvae on Q. pubescens and Q. cerris (Turčáni et al., 2010; Korompai, 2014, 2016), while Acer tataricum and A. campestre were earlier proposed as potential hosts (Issekutz, 1955; König, 1971). In Bulgaria, the species is generally described as associated with Quercus (Beshkov & Langourov, 2004), with additional mention of Acer species (Beshkov, 2011). Bekchiev et al. (2017) reported D. schmidtii as abundant in oak forests lacking Acer, strongly suggesting that larvae regularly feed on Quercus. However, none of these studies identified a specific Quercus species as larval host. In Turkey, available records of D. schmidtii ssp. pinkeri – a subspecies of D. schmidtii – derive from higher-altitude habitats (e.g. >500 m; Hreblay, 1993), whereas our finding in Greece concerns lowland xerothermic stands of Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis. Since Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis does not exceed 400–500 m a.s.l. altitudinally (Boratynski et al., 1992), the present record represents the first certain species-level host plant association for the Balkans. Since this oak does not occur in Bulgaria, larvae there must feed on other Quercus spp., confirming that D. schmidtii is unlikely to be narrowly specialised. Rather, it appears to utilise the locally available thermophilous oaks, with host plasticity that may confer resilience in post-fire and managed landscapes. This broader feeding ecology has direct conservation implications: monitoring efforts should not restrict host surveys to a single oak species, but instead encompass the full set of dominant Quercus taxa present in xerothermic woodlands. This finding has implications for conservation monitoring and habitat management. D. schmidtii’s survival depends on maintaining mature oak stands (>60–70 years) with minimal fragmentation (Korompai, 2016). Surveys that exclude Mediterranean oak types may underestimate the species’ presence, particularly at the southern margins of its range. The result supports calls for host plant flexibility to be integrated into insect conservation planning, especially under disturbance regimes exacerbated by climate change. The proximity of the observation site to recently burned areas following the 2023 Evros wildfires further emphasises the conservation value of post-fire monitoring for threatened insect species. Conclusion This record provides the first confirmed association of D. schmidtii with Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis in Greece and extends the species’ known larval host range within Quercus. Given that Q. ithaburensis forms extensive lowland stands in the eastern Mediterranean, often interdigitating with Q. cerris, surveys that explicitly include both oaks – and sample multiple tree individuals across sun-exposed woodland edges and open stands – are likely to improve detectability of larvae. The site itself was unburned, yet lies adjacent to large areas severely affected by the 2023 Evros wildfires; documenting host associations in such landscapes is important for anticipating how early-instar resources and canopy structure may change during post-fire succession. In practical terms, I recommend: (i) targeted larval beating on Q. ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis and Q. cerris during May– June; (ii) night surveys of nearby adult flight periods to confirm occupancy; and (iii) deposition of georeferenced observations and voucher-quality images in open repositories to facilitate meta-analyses of range use and habitat connectivity. The new host plant record provide a concrete baseline for standardised monitoring and for prioritising Mediterranean oak woodlands that may harbour overlooked populations of this protected moth. Acknowledgements This work was carried out within the framework of the project “Supervision and assessment of the conservation status of invertebrate species (excluding Angelos Tsikas 376 Historia naturalis bulgarica 47 (2025) marine) of Community and national interest in Greece”, funded by the Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy through the Operational Programme “Transport Infrastructure, Environment and Sustainable Development” (O.P. T.I.E.S.D.). The project is co-financed by the European Union (Cohesion Fund) and national resources through the Public Investment Programme (MIS 5047786). Conflicts of interest No potential conflict of interest has been reported by the author, reviewers, or subject editor. References Bekchiev R., Beshkov S., Arangelov S., Kirov D. 2017 Opredelitel na zhivotinskite vidove za otsenka na gori s visoka konservatsionna stoynost. WWF-Bulgaria, Sofia, 192 pp. (In Bulgarian) Beshkov S. 2011 Peperudite v Bulgaria vklyucheni v Natura 2000. 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