Increased cave use by butterflies and moths: a response to climate warming?

Between 2015 and 2019, the list of Lepidoptera from “cave” habitats (i.e., proper caves, rock shelters artificial subterranean structures) in Austria grew 17 to 62 species, although effort data collection remained nearly constant late 1970s onwards. The newly recorded moths butterflies were resting caves during daytime warm season, three species also overwintering there. We observed Catocala elocata at 28 cave inspections, followed by Mormo maura (18), nupta (7), Peribatodes rhomboidaria, Euplagia quadripunctaria (6). More than half have been repeatedly or abroad, so their relationship with such sites is apparently not completely random. Since increase records coincided a considerable rise annual number hot days (maximum temperatures ≥30°C) onwards, we interpret growing inclination certain towards sheltering as behavioral reaction climate warming.