First record of Lymantria dispar (Rambur, 1837) (Lepidoptera : Lymantriidae) from the Maltese Islands

Abstract

The family Lymantriidae is represented in Europe by no less than 29 species (Karsholt & Razowski, 1996). In Malta three species had been previously recorded. Orgyia trigotephras Boisduval, 1828 is by far the commonest species. In this species, the female is apterous while the male is often seen during the day and is easily mistaken for a butterfly. Euproctis chrysorrhoea (Linnaeus, 1758) has been recorded on two occasions, once from Gnejna Bay on 1une 27, 1983 from 3 specimens by the author, and secondly by Anthony Seguna from a single specimen collected from Bingemma on 1une 3, 1993 (Sammut, 2000). The third species is Casama innotata (Walker, 1855) recorded from a single specimen collected by Anthony Seguna from Benghisa on October 23, 1987. The record of this last species from the Maltese Islands is the only record to date for all of Europe (Sammut, 2000).