Catocala helena Eversmann, 1856

Titov, Sergey V., Volynkin, Anton V., Pulikova, Genriyetta I. & Kaptyonkina, Alyona G., 2022, The first record of Catocala helena Eversmann, 1856 from Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera: Noctuoidea: Erebidae: Catocalini), Ecologica Montenegrina 52, pp. 42-48 : 43-45

Catocala helena Eversmann, 1856

( Figs 1 , 4, 5 )

Catocala helena Eversmann, 1856 , Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou, 30 (4): 378, pl. 1, fig. 8 (Type-locality: [ Russia, E Siberia, S Buryatia Republic, Kyakhta] “Sibérie orientale; environs de Kiachta”).

Material examined. 6 males, 9.VII.2021, C Kazakhstan, Karaganda region , Karaganda City, 49°58.8933'N 73°12.9592'E, h= 491m, H.I. Pulikova & A.G. Kaptyonkina leg. ( STP) ; 26 males, 3 females, 7–8.VIII.2021, the same locality, collected in daytime with a butterfly net, S. V. Titov leg. ( STP, IZRK, SDM, CAV) ; 1 female, 14.VIII.2021, NE Kazakhstan, Pavlodar region , 52°13'1.79''N 77°3'38.34''E, h= 125 m, at UV light, S. V. Titov leg. ( STP).

Bionomics and observations. Catocal helena is a mesophilous species inhabiting deciduous forests and forest-steppe, which is most common in the western part of its range in dry forest-steppe habitats. The preimaginal stages are unknown. Larvae of the related C. deuteronympha Staudinger, 1861 feed on various Ulmus L. species ( Ulmaceae ) ( Kononenko 2010). Since woods and forests with dominance of Ulmus are typical habitats of C. helena throughout its range, it is possible to consider Ulmus as a probable food plant of the species ( Knyazev et al. 2021). Both localities of the species in Kazakhstan are urbocenoses in the steppe natural zone. In Karaganda City, the species was found in Central Kazakh stony shrubby steppe (central part of the Kazakh Upland) ( Fig.2 ), while in Pavlodar City, it was found in the Northeast Kazakh fescue-feather grass steppe (Baraba Steppe) in the valley of the Irtysh River ( Fig. 3 ). In Karaganda City, a number of imagoes were active both during the day and at night while some others were found at rest in the shadows on walls, Ulmus pumila L. tree trunks and in buildings and their cellars as well ( Fig. 4 ). Some individuals were observed feeding on flowers of Arctium lappa L., Tagetes patula L. and some other ruderal and ornamental plans ( Fig. 5 ). In Kazakhstan, moths of C. helena are on wing from late July to Mid-August. No one specimen was attracted at wine-fruit bite traps which are usually extremely effective for collecting various Catocala species, probably due to the presence of a large amount of blossoming plants. Other Catocala species known from the Kazakh Upland, such as C. nupta , C. fraxini and C. puerpera have also not been collected together with C. helena .

Distribution. Catocal helena is a Manchurian, nemoral-subboreal species which is introductory in West Palaearctic. The species is known from China, Korea, Mongolia, Russian Far East (Amur, southern Khabarovsk and Primorye Regions) and Transbaikalia ( Kononenko 2010), and has recently been found in West Siberia (Novosibirsk Region), South Ural (Republic of Bashkortostan, Orenburg Region), European part of Russia (Samara Region) ( Knyazev 2011; Knyazev et al 2021), and Central and Northeast Kazakhstan (the present study) ( Fig. 6 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Catocala helena: adults, Karaganda City (photo by S. Titov) (STP).

Figure 2. The habitat of Catocala helena: Central Kazakhstan, Karaganda Region, outskirts of Karaganda City, 49°58.8933' N 73°12.9592' E, 07–08.VIII.2021 (photo by S. Titov).

Figure 3. The habitat of Catocala helena: NE Kazakhstan, Pavlodar Region, outskirts of Pavlodar City, 52°13'1.79"N 77° 3'38.34"E, 14.VIII.2021 (photo by T. Abylkhasanov).

Figure 6. Distribution map of Catocala helena. Red spots: new localities in Kazakhstan; green spots: recently discovered western localities in Russia; black spots: known historical distribution in the Eastern Palaearctic.

Figures 4–5. Catocala helena: imagoes in nature, С Kazakhstan, Karaganda City. 4, a moth at rest on the Ulmus pumila tree trunk; 5, a moth feeding on inflorescens of Arctium lappa (photos by S. Titov).