About the Record of Small Emperor Moth Saturnia Pavonia (Linnaeus, 1758) ― A New Species for the Moth’s Fauna of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alaniaстатья
Аннотация:The Small Emperor Moth ― Saturnia pavonia L., is a moth of the family Saturniidae. This moth occurs throughout the Palearctic region ― both eastern and western. Based on data on the distribution of the species in the South of Russia and the North Caucasus, we assumed the presence of Saturnia pavonia L. habitats on the territory of the RNO-A. The moth is classified as rare and endangered and listed in the Red Books of various ranks, obtaining new information about its distribution is an urgent task. The aim of the work was an inventory of the moth’s fauna of the republic. Standard generally accepted methods of visual observations, biomaterial collection, photo fixation and office processing of entomological materials were applied. The research was carried out from 1985 to 2023, throughout the territory of RNO-A ― from the steppe to the alpine belt, at absolute altitudes of 130-3500 m above the s. l. Many years of research have not yielded records of this species of moth. Finally, in the spring of 2023, the Small Emperor Moth was found in the west of the republic on the border with the Kabardino-Balkar Republic in wild-fruited plantings. This is the first and only discovery of this moth’s species in North Ossetia