Adscita dujardini Evetov & Tarmann 2014

Host plants:
The larvae feed in the field on Geranium sanguineum. In breeding, they also accept other Geranium species and even Helianthemum and Rumex.

Habitat:
Adscita dujardini inhabits rocky steppe slopes, dry grassland edges and other warm and dry herbaceous edges, usually interspersed with trees and bushes or near woodlands.

Life cycle:
The hibernated caterpillars are fully-grown in late April and May. On the 01. and 02. May 2007 and in mid-April 2009 I observed caterpillars in the last instar hidden at the base of Geranium sanguineum in the edge to flat junipers on a grove rich, dry hillside in about 1300m above sea level (Valais). Pupation occurrs in a two-layer-cocoon in the soil. The adults fly mainly from mid-June to July and thus a bit later than those of A. albanica. They often suck on the flowers of the host plant in a way similar to A. albanica (see there). The eggs are laid singly or more common in small groups on leaves or stalks of the host plant, also on calyxes.

Endangerment factors:
Adscita dujardini is locally endangered by tourism, agriculture and other habitat loss (overgrazing, overbuilding, reforestation, viticulture etc.).

Remarks:
Adscita dujardini is a very local species and is found in Swiss Valais, Swiss Poschiavo, parts of the French Alps, Italy and Slovenia. The taxon albanica is found in the S-Balkans, Ukraine and S-Russia.

Hints on determination:
The newly described species is very similar to A. albanica (Naufock, 1926). Both used to be referred to as A. albanica before 2014, but obviously differ in larval colouration and smaller details in morphology (e.g. genitals). They also show relative large genetic distances.

Literature:
Efetov & Tarmann (2014): A new European species, Adscita dujardini sp. nov.
(Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae, Procridinae), confirmed by DNA analysis.- Entomologist’s Gazette 65: 179–200