Remarkable records of Microlepidoptera in Sweden during 2020

Abstract

This is the 48th annual report on noteworthy finds of Microlepidoptera in Sweden.

The year 2020 was the warmest recorded on the earth since measuring of the temperature began in the 19th century. Like the previous years, the winter of 2019/2020 was exceptionally mild in Sweden. During January-April, the temperature excess was on average several degrees above normal, while May was cooler than average throughout Sweden. June varied more in temperature including some warm spells; July was cool except for a short period in the middle of the month. August was mostly warm, but ended cold. September showed varying temperatures in contrast to the first half of October, which had a large temperature excess, which continued throughout the rest of the year. During the period from the end of September to about 10 October, easterly winds prevailed in southern Sweden, bringing a number of migrants, particularly Macrolepidoptera. Until mid-October, precipitation was close to normal in most parts of Sweden, but eastern Götaland and Svealand had precipitation slightly below normal.

Five species were recorded new to Sweden, viz.: 1) Monopis jussii Mutanen, Huemer, Autto, Karsholt & Kaila, 2020, a sibling species of M. laevigella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775); 2) Neofaculta taigana Ponomarenko, 1998, a sibling species of N. infernella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1854); 3) Carpatolechia fugacella (Zeller, 1839), which was attracted to a lighttrap in the south of Skåne, an expected species; 4) Coleophora albicostella (Duponchel, 1843), which was caught already in 1974 but remained undetermined until now; the site where it was found has been visited many times during a couple of decades in attempt to verify a population but hitherto in vain; and, finally 5) Eucosma albidulana (Herrich-Schäffer, 1851), a species new to the Nordic countries and which was found in the northeastern part of Skåne in an area with the invasive plant spotted knapweed Centaurea stoebe L., as a probable host. Thus the number of recorded species of Microlepidoptera in Sweden is 1771.