Catocala fraxini (Linnaeus, 1758)

Host plants:
The species lives primarily at poplar species (Populus tremula, P. nigra, etc.). In addition, the literature mentions also Salix, Fraxinus, Alnus and Betula.

Habitat:
Catocala fraxini inhabits poplar stocks particularly along rivers, lakes and other wet areas. In addition, Catocala fraxini is also found in aspen-rich mixed forests, in poplar avenues and sporadically in urban areas.

Life cycle:
The egg hibernates. The caterpillar lives from April to June or early July. She keeps herself nestled on branches and later hidden in depressions in the bark on the trunk during the day. Pupation takes place in a cocoon often between leaves. The moths fly from July to October with peak activity in late August and September.

Endangerment: endangered

Endangerment factors:
Catocala fraxini is locally at risk despite it is quite flexible as aspen stocks are still considered worthless softwood and are preferred eliminated by forestry. Poplars are no longer as popular as windbreaks or as street trees and often quite wrongly have hardly advocates even in nature conservation. Moreover, riparian forests have been reduced in many regions to little remnants.

Remarks:
Catocala fraxini is widespread but rarely abundant in Central and Northern Europe. To the south, it occurs to the north of Spain (Pyrenees), Central Italy and Bulgaria. It also frequently appears at dipersion flights outside the permanent distribution (UK, Spain, Southern Italy, etc.).