Entomologica Austriaca 32

Here, we report the first observed occurrence of the invasive Asian Yellow-Legged Hornet Vespa velutina Lepeletier, 1836 for Austria and provide information about the specimen and its discovery. The discovery occurred on the 9th of April 2024 in the city of Salzburg. The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) verified this finding. As V. velutina is an invasive alien species of economic and ecological importance for the European Union, its occurrence needs to be reported by any of the member states. Hence, the Austrian authorities were immediately notified of this finding. Because the female specimen was found in early spring, and since dissections showed clear evidence for the presence of oocyte formation, we concluded the individual to be a founder queen. We briefly discuss the increasing risk of the invasion success by V. velutina for Austria. We also refer to the experience and scientific literature from already invaded countries regarding the current best practice for pest management, containment, and eradication. Among the key factors for successful management of V. velutina are (i) a well-informed public, (ii) an efficient and fast cross-country communication as well as coordination, and (iii) pre-budgeting of necessary tasks, infrastructure, and services. Recommendations for a well-informed public and target-specific measures are also needed in terms of conservation efforts, to avoid collateral damage in non-target organisms such as in the similar looking but native European Hornet (Vespa crabro Linnaeus, 1758).

This paper presents the first documented evidence of the successful establishment of Hierodula transcaucasica Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 in Austria, marking the introduction of a second mantid species. Following an initial sighting of a female in 2023, field surveys in 2024 recorded multiple individuals, exuviae, and oothecae in Ernst-Paul-Zimper-Park (1220 Vienna), with an additional record from the Augarten (1020 Vienna). These findings suggest the existence of a population for at least one location in Vienna since 2023, if not earlier. The paper also offers a comprehensive review of all known records of Hierodula spp. in Austria to date and provides preliminary insights into the ecological interactions of H. transcaucasica, such as encountered habitat, ootheca deposition sites, and prey selection.

Body temperature of butterflies mainly depends on abiotic factors and is relevant for metabolic processes, flight behaviour, and the distribution in various altitudes. We developed a technique for contactless measurement of body temperature of butterflies in the field using a modified infrared thermometer. We caught 522 butterflies from 31 species in lowland and alpine habitats of Austria during flight, and their thorax temperature was immediately measured. The thoracic temperatures ranged from 14.5 °C in alpine Satyrinae species to 39.9 °C in a lowland species. Body temperatures (mean 28.9 ± 6.1 °C) showed highly significant, positive correlation (r = 0.89, p < 0.001) with air temperatures (mean 21.9 ± 7.6 °C). Small alpine species had lowest, but highly variable thorax temperatures while butterflies of lowland areas had higher and lower variable temperature. The mean thoracic temperature was 7.0 ± 3.5 °C higher than air temperature with a maximal difference of 20.2 °C in an alpine species. In hot lowland areas some butterflies had a body temperature of up to 3 °C below air temperature. Pieris rapae were active in all habitats showing body temperature tolerance from 34.2 °C in lowland to only 20.8 °C in the alpine area. These data allow conclusions on upper and lower temperature limits for flight. The applied new non-invasive method turned out to be a simple and reliable technique to measure body temperature of butterflies in the field that opens new opportunities for understanding species-specific natural histories.

Since 2018, we have been observing adults of the amphibious Giant Cranefly Tipula maxima Poda, 1761 (Diptera: Tipulidae) in natural caves and man-made cavities (e.g., tunnels, stream culverts, arched streams), mostly on hot days. We assume that Giant Craneflies might protect themselves from overheating and desiccation, as previously observed in many Austrian butterfly species and the lacewing Osmylus fulvicephalus. We want to highlight this potential reaction to global change and ask experts to support us with their own observations.

Over the past decade, the ÖEG Insect Camp has fostered collaborations between emerging biologists and senior entomologists, combining fieldwork and knowledge exchange to document the biodiversity of various regions across Austria. In 2024, the camp took place in the Karwendel Nature Park, a biodiversity hotspot in the Austrian Alps, where 1,383 species of invertebrates and 154 vascular plant species were recorded across 13 study sites. Highlights include 86 new species records for Tyrol, four new species for Austria, and the discovery of a yet-undescribed gall midge. This initiative not only enriches biodiversity data but also emphasizes the importance of scientific methods and data publication in fostering ecological knowledge. The results provide invaluable insights into the poorly understood fauna of alpine ecosystems while promoting education and conservation efforts.

The Sabre Wasp Rhyssa persuasoria (Linnaeus, 1758), a species of Darwin Wasp, has been chosen as Insect of the Year 2025. This species, which is conspicuous due to its body size and the long ovipositor of females, is a parasitoid of various woodwasps (Siricidae) that develop in conifers. Rhyssa persuasoria was originally distributed in the Holarctic region and was introduced to other continents to control woodwasps.

Here, the European Spider of the Year 2025, Segestria senoculata (Linnaeus, 1758), is presented. Some taxonomic background is given and the appearance and characteristics (e.g. ecology, habitat, phenology) are briefly described. Moreover, the decisive criteria for the choice are given.