ADDITIONS TO THE CRAMBIDAE (INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA) FAUNA
OF CROATIA AND BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
Toni Ko r e n
1
& Dejan Ku l ije r
2
1
Association Hyla, i. l ipovac 7, Hr -10000 Zagreb, Croatia, 
e-mail: koren.toni1@gmail.com
2
n ational Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zmaja od Bosne 3, 71000 Sarajevo,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, e-mail: dejan.kulijer@gmail.com
Abstract - During recent surveys of l epidoptera in southern Croatia and Bosnia &
Herzegovina, several Crambidae species that were not previously recorded in those
countries were encountered. o ne species, Friedlanderia cicatricella (Hübner, 1824),
is recorded for the first time in Croatia while five are recorded for the first time in
Bosnia & Herzegovina: Euclasta splendidalis (Herrich-Schäffer, [1848]),
Dolicharthria bruguieralis Zeller, 1847, Chilo phragmitella (Hübner, [1810]), Scle-
rocona acutella (e versman, 1842) and Duponchelia fovealis Zeller, 1847. All of the
species were recorded is southern Dalmatia & Herzegovina, showing the importance
of the area for the Crambidae fauna and the need of further faunistical surveys.
Ke y w o r DS: grass moth, Hutovo blato, n eretva river delta, wetlands, invasive species
Izvleček – Pr iSPe VKi K FAVn i Dr u Žin e Cr AMBiDAe (in Se CTA: l e Pi-
Do PTe r A) Hr VAŠKe Te r Bo Sn e in He r Ce Go Vin e
Med nedavnimi raziskavami metuljev na jugu Hrvaške ter v Bosni in Hercegovini
je bilo najdenih več vrst družine Crambidae, ki v teh državah prej niso bile zabeležene.
e na vrsta, Friedlanderia cicatricella (Hübner, 1824), je bila prvič zabeležena na
Hrvaškem, medtem ko je bilo v Bosni in Hercegovini prvič zabeleženih pet vrst: Eu-
clasta splendidalis (Herrich-Schäffer, [1848]), Dolicharthria bruguieralis Zeller,
1847, Chilo phragmitella (Hübner, [1810]), Sclerocona acutella (e versman, 1842)
in Duponchelia fovealis Zeller, 1847. Vse vrste so bile zabeležene v južni Dalmaciji
in Hercegovini, kar kaže na pomen območja za favno družine Crambidae in potrebo
po nadaljnjih favnističnih raziskavah.
Kl ju č n e Be Se De : travniške vešče, Hutovo blato, delta reke n eretve, močvirja, in-
vazivne vrste
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Introduction
The large and diverse superfamily Pyraloidea in e urope contains more than 850
species (Karsholt, & r azowski 1996). in the Balkan peninsula, no less than 569
species are known so far, of which 310 belong to Crambidae and 259 to Pyralidae fa-
milies (Plant & jakšić 2018). w ith recent checklists (Gumhalter 2019a, b) and species’
overviews, this superfamily becomes, if not one of the best studied microlepidoptera
superfamilies in the Balkan peninsula, the superfamily for which most comprehensive
data is available (see Plant & jakšić 2018). Still, most of the available data is based
on literature records (Plant & jakšić 2018; Gumhalter 2019a) while new data remain
scarce. in recent years, many new Crambidae species were recorded for the fauna of
Croatia (e.g. Koren 2012, 2020; Gumhalter 2019a) while the data for the Crambidae
fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina are based only on old historical records (l elo 2004;
Plant & jakšić 2018).
Materials and methods
During recent surveys of Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, Crambidae were
collected along with other l epidoptera families. Moths were surveyed using pyramidal
u V light traps in n eretva river delta and Stolac (Fig. 1). Five traps were in operation
for 4h after dusk at each locality. in Hutovo blato n ature park and Klek peninsula
(Fig. 1) automatic heath traps with u V lights were operated during the whole night.
The collected specimens were set, identified and stored in the private collection of
the author (Koren, Zagreb). For identification of species, we used Slamka (2006,
2008, 2013) and l eraut (2012). 
Results
For each species, the exact locality, coordinates, date and additional notes are pro-
vided.
Friedlanderia cicatricella (Hübner, 1824) (Fig. 2)
Material examined: Croatia, n eretva river delta, Pižinovac village, road east of
the village surrounded by reeds and maquis, 42.984711° n , 17.544549° e , 16.viii.2020,
5 ex., leg. T. Koren.
Notes: n ew for the fauna of Croatia. This species is present in the surrounding
countries, but has never before been found in Croatia (Slamka 2008; Gumhalter
2019a, b), so the record from Croatia fills its distributional gap in the Balkans. it is a
wetland species that inhabits moist meadows and floodplains around rivers and lakes
(Slamka 2008). This is in accordance to the habitat in which it was recorded, edge of
channels surrounded by reeds. Several males and females were observed and collected
on the site, indicating a resident population in the area. This also indicates the impor-
tance of the n eretva river delta which has so far not been part of systematic l epidoptera
surveys, and only a limited number of Crambidae species have been recorded in the
Acta entomologica slovenica, 28 (2), 2020
142

area (Gumhalter et al. 2018). Further surveys in the delta will probably reveal more
localities for this wetland species.
Chilo phragmitella (Hübner, [1810])
Material examined: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Stolac, forest edge n w of the set-
tlement, 43.087647° n , 17.936115° e , 104 m a.s.l., 3.viii.2016, 2 ex., obs. T. Koren.
Notes: n ew for the fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina. This is a wetland species
widely distributed in e urope but missing from some Balkan countries (Slamka 2008;
Plant & jakšić 2018). it is generally common in the areas where it occurs, and is
easily attracted to light traps.
Euclasta splendidalis (Herrich-Schäffer, [1848])
Material examined: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Hutovo blato n ature Park, Karaotok,
bank of a canal surrounded by reeds, bushes and trees, 43.065995° n , 17.754760° e ,
5 m a.s.l., 05.ix.2020, 2 ex., leg. D. Kulijer.
Notes: n ew for the fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina. This species has only recently
been recorded in southern Croatia in the n eretva river delta, which represents the
Toni Koren, Dejan Kulijer: Additions to the Crambidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera) fauna of Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina
143
Figure 1. Map of surveyed localites.
Slika 1. Karta raziskanih lokalitet.

northernmost record in the Balkan peninsula (Koren 2012; Gumhalter et al. 2018).
The record from Hutovo Blato in Bosnia & Herzegovina was expected as the area is
very close to n eretva river delta and it is part of the same wetland system. Two spec-
imens were collected by a heath moth trap in the bank of the canal surrounded by
reeds, bushes and trees (Fig. 3). This is in accordance with known habitats in Croatia
in the n eretva river delta. 
Dolicharthria bruguieralis (Duponchel, 1833)
Material examined: Bosnia & Herzegovina, n eum, Klek peninsula, edge of
o puće village, 42.927041° n , 17.571990° e , 10.ix.2020, 2 ex., leg. D. Kulijer.
Notes: n ew for the fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina. This is a Mediterranean
species commonly found alongside the Adriatic coast, especially in garrigue habitat.
it has been recorded in most of the Balkan states (Plant & jakšić 2018). Additional
records are expected for Herzegovina area in the future. 
Acta entomologica slovenica, 28 (2), 2020
144
Figure 2. Friedlanderia cicatricella from the n eretva river delta, close to Pižinovac
village. Photo by T. Koren.
Slika 2. Friedlanderia cicatricella z delte reke n eretve, blizu vasice Pižinovac.
Fotografiral T. Koren.

Toni Koren, Dejan Kulijer: Additions to the Crambidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera) fauna of Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina
145
Figure 3. Habitat of Euclasta splendidalis in Hutovo blato n ature park. Photo by
D. Kulijer.
Slika 3. Habitat vrste Euclasta splendidalis v n aravnem parku Hutovo blato. Fo-
tografiral D. Kulijer.

Duponchelia fovealis Zeller, 1847
Material examined: Bosnia & Herzegovina, n eum, on the wall of a store,
42.924300° n , 17.616814° e , 10.viii.2012, 2 ex., obs. T.Koren.
Notes: n ew for the fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina. This is an invasive pest
species attacking strawberry (Fragaria spp.) plants. it was firstly recorded in e urope
in italy in 1988 (Bonsignore et al. 2008). Afterwards it has quickly spread across
most of e urope, Turkey, u nited States and Canada (e fil et al. 2014). in the Balkan
peninsula it has so far been recorded in Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, Al-
bania and Greece (Plant & jakšić 2018). Additional records are expected for Herze-
govina area in the future. 
Sclerocona acutella (Eversman, 1842)
Material examined: L 2: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Stolac, forest edge n w of the
settlement, 43.087647° n , 17.936115° e , 104 m a.s.l., 3.viii.2016, 2 ex., obs. T. Ko-
ren.
Notes: n ew for the fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina. This is a rather widespread
wetland species, present in most Balkan countries (Plant & jakšić 2018). Further
records are expected from other parts of Bosnia & Herzegovina as well.
Discussion
w ith this small, initial contribution, the number of recorded Crambidae species
for Bosnia & Herzegovina rises from 152 (Plant & jakšić 2018) to 157. This is still
far from the fauna of Croatia which now contains 210 species (Plant & jakšić 2018;
Gumhalter 2019a, b; Koren, 2020). This indicates that the Crambidae moth fauna of
Bosnia & Herzegovina is under-recorded in comparison with Croatia and other neigh-
bouring countries. Four out of the six species mentioned here can be regarded as wet-
land specialists, indicating the importance of  such habitats in both countries. Both
Hutovo blato in Bosnia & Herzegovina and n eretva river delta in Croatia are parts of
the same n eretva river drainage, which is one of the largest wetlands in the region. it
is important to additionally protect and preserve such habitat for the long-term survival
of its overall biodiversity of flora and fauna. The survey of moth fauna of the n eretva
river delta commenced in 2020 (Koren, unpublished); it is highly desirable to start a
similar survey in Hutovo blato in order to investigate the lepidopteran fauna to an ad-
equate level to be able to provide advice on the protection of the area. Additional
moth surveys of different parts of both countries will, without doubt, generate further
new species records and expand knowledge of the distribution of other rare species.
Acknowledgments
w e are grateful to the Public institution for Management of Protected n atural
Areas of the Dubrovnik-n eretva r egion for financing the moth surveys in the n eretva
river delta, Croatia. w e are also grateful to the reviewer Colin w . Plant (Bishops
Stortford, u K) for linguistic corrections and valuable comments to the manuscript.
Acta entomologica slovenica, 28 (2), 2020
146

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