Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Superfamily: Lasiocampoidea
Family: Lasiocampidae
Subfamily: Lasiocampinae
Genus: Eriogaster

The eastern eggar is one of the legally protected moths of our country. It is a species of European importance for nature protection and is accordingly listed in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive, which makes it a qualifying species of the Natura 2000 Ecological Network. Regardless, very little is known about this species in our country. Adults seem to resemble the other two species of the genus Eriogaster, from which they are distinguished by a round white dott on the front wing that is relatively regular and large and two-colored front wings whose interior is slightly darker and the outside is lighter brown. Eriogaster lanestris is most similar to this species, but their flight time is completely different. Adult E. lanestris is active in early spring while the eastern eggar is active in late summer and fall. They inhabit grassland habitats partially overgrown with shrubs and bushes and open forest edges. The caterpillars of this species feed mainly on the leaves of hawthorn and blackthorn. The caterpillars are at the beginning of their lives in common nests built of silk, which provide them with protection from predators. Later they feed individually, scattered over the host plants. Because adult moths are poorly mobile, fly late at night, and rarely come to light traps, the search for caterpillars is the best method of recording this species. The eastern eggar is widespread in most of Croatia, but the exact distribution is not known, as there are very few recent findings. Accordingly, additional distribution studies are needed.

Conservation Legislations