Clemathada calberlai (Staudinger, 1883)

Host plants:
The caterpillar feeds on Clematis vitalba, perhaps also on other species of Clematis.

Habitat:
Clemathada calberlai inhabits mostly dry-warm, rocky, shrubbery rich slopes that are partially overgrown with Clematis. A frequent companion is Thyris fenestrella.

Life cycle:
The pupa hibernates (an observation in mid-April in Valais at about 1000m above sea level). The moths fly in a single generation from mid-May to July. The caterpillar is probably most likely to be found from late June to August. I recorded several mostly young larvae in Swiss Valais (Leuk, Stalden) in early July 2019 by beating Clematis vitalba.

Endangerment factors:
Clemathada calberlai is endangered in some places by conversion of the habitats into vineyards, the succession towards denser forest-like stocks and other cultivation, so locally in the Valais. Global warming seems to favour Clemathada calberlai.

Remarks:
Clemathada calberlai occurs only from southeastern France across almost all of Italy and southern Switzerland to Slovenia (Adriato-Mediterranean type of distribution). Surprising are new records in SW-Germany (Kaiserstuhl). Probably Clemathada calberlai will expand its distribution due to global warming.