Haemerosia vassilininei Bang-Haas, 1912

Host plants:
The larva feeds on some Asteraceae of the Lactuca-type such as especially Lactuca serriola.

Habitat:
I observed larvae in a hot coastal plain in Northern Greece (Paralia) at road sides through grassland-like, sandy area. Besides that, literature mentions also other grassland, fallow land and scrub habitats.

Life cycle:
The pupa hibernates. According to own observations in Northern Greece Haemerosia vassilininei has two overlapping generations with moths in June and July and again between late July and September. I found many eggs and larvae in early July 2013 (Paralia). The resulting moths hatched in late July. The eggs are most often attached in small groups to the stems of the host plant. The larvae live often in small groups, too. They are despite their small size quite striking and often live together with those of Hecatera dysodea, which also has two generations in Northern Greece.

Endangerment factors:
Haemerosia vassilininei is highly endangered at least in coastal habitats because of overbuilding (tourism!). So the habitat near Paralia is already devided throught many roads which allow the conclusion that there are plans for development.

Remarks:
Haemerosia vassilininei occurs only locally in the southern Balkans (Bulgaria, N-Greece) and in parts of Western Asia (Turkey to Iran).