A sárga gyapjasszövő – Eriogaster catax (Linnaeus, 1758) európai jelentőségű populációja Váton (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae)

In 2008, A population of Orange Eggar – Eriogaster catax (Linnaeus, 1758) with exceptionally high density was found during a monitoring survey in a former military training ground by the authors near the village Vát (Vas County, Western Hungary). Now, the area is a part of Natura 2000 network under the Habitats Directive of European Community (ID: HUON20005). The authors estimated the population size over 10 million (larval stage) individuals based on counting caterpillar webs along a 500-metre-long transect in 2008. Since the first estimation based on the results from a single transect and the habitat structure of the area was not considered in the estimation, the survey was repeated in a larger sampling area in 2009. The habitat size was also corrected by removal of hostile non-habitat patches identified from aerial photographs. Since the survey resulted in similarly high population density, it can safely be stated, that the population near Vát is of European conservation concern. Further surveys on the ecology of the species and establishment of specific conservation management would be desirable to avoid habitat loss.