Lepidoptera fauna of the Hetman National Nature Park

Study Extent

The Hetman National Nature Park is located in the southeastern part of Sumy region on the territory of Okhtyrka administrative district. The park includes sections of Vorskla river floodplain, the river itself, the floodplain terraces and the right root bank of the river in some places. The Park does not have a continuous border and consists of separate contours, separated from each other, or connected by the river bed. The total length of Vorskla within the Sumy region is 122 km, accordingly, so is the length of the park. In terms of forest vegetation and agricultural production zoning, the territory of the Park belongs to the middle part of the Left Bank Forest Steppe, and in terms of agro-climate, it is included in the second agro-climatic area - moderately warm, moderately humid. It is characterized by the following indicators: - the sum of temperatures for the period with a temperature above 10º is 2500-2650ºС; - the amount of precipitation that falls at this time is 280-310 mm, and in general for the year - 500-575; - the hydrothermal coefficient for the warm part of the year is 1.1-1.2. In general, the climate of the Park location is moderately continental with a continentality factor of 45%. Despite the high degree of anthropogenic impact the river basin has preserved a variety of landscapes of the left-bank forest-steppe – from lowland floodplains and sphagnum bogs to relict indigenous forests characterised by rich resource potential, gene pool of flora and fauna, historical and cultural monuments that require urgent protection and environmentally sound sustainable use. The authors express their gratitude to the director of the Hetman National Nature Park, to the park’s security service and students of Sumy State Pedagogical University named after A.S. Makarenko and Viktor Yapishyn for help in identifying some insects species. Also, authors are sincerely grateful to the NGO “Ukrainian Nature Conservation Group” for the help in placing data in the GBIF system.

Sampling

The main method of collection is a light trap. With the onset of dusk 2 arc-mercury lamps of 250 W were turned on, fixed at a height of 2-2.5 m from the ground surface against white screens. Catching butterflies continued until dawn. Insects were mounted on entomological needles or placed in mattresses for further identification. Some species that are easy to identify were recorded without catching. Butterflies were collected by hand in places where they stay during the day (vegetation, trunks and stumps, fences, walls of buildings, etc.). With this method, some species were found that did not fly to the light, and it was also possible to collect material where it was impossible to use the lamps. Species were identified by external morphological features and genital preparations.

Quality Control

The authors bears full responsibility for the quality of the data provided in the dataset.

Method steps

1. Collecting of material during field work.
2. Species identification.
3. Georeferencing.
4. Organizing of the dataset according to the Darwin Core standards.

The dataset consists of records of Lepidoptera species only.,

1. Animalia
   rank: kingdom
2. Arthropoda
   rank: phylum
3. Insecta
   rank: class
4. Lepidoptera
   rank: order
5. Crambidae
   rank: family
6. Cossidae
   rank: family
7. Drepanidae
   rank: family
8. Erebidae
   rank: family
9. Geometridae
   rank: family
10. Hesperiidae
    rank: family
11. Lasiocampidae
    rank: family
12. Limacodidae
    rank: family
13. Lycaenidae
    rank: family
14. Noctuidae
    rank: family
15. Notodontidae
    rank: family
16. Nolidae
    rank: family
17. Nymphalidae
    rank: family
18. Papilionidae
    rank: family
19. Pieridae
    rank: family
20. Pyralidae
    rank: family
21. Sphingidae
    rank: family

The dataset consists of records made on the territory of Sumy administrative region of Ukraine.