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History of the Museum

The core of the main collection is formed by that of the famous lepidopterologists Franz DANIEL from Munich. Beginning of his collection goes back to the turn of 20th century, to the collection of his father, who descended from the family of entomologists. Handwritten diaries from the border of 19th and 20th centuries certify his substantial excursing and collecting activities. DANIEL’s collection includes families, mentioned in SEITZ II under "Bombyces et Sphinges", which, according to modern taxonomic studies, do not form any more a single unit. From his early age, DANIEL has collected systematic material on the mentioned families, thus producing the most prominent specialized collection of that time (Nachr. Blatt Bayer.ent.19(6):93-101,1970). Himself studying his collection, DANIEL made it accessible to contemporaneous colleagues. Thus, starting from 30th, from the time of appearance of SEITZ-II-Supplement, his materials have been used in systematic studies, revisions and monographs on the mentioned families of Lepidoptera. This policy is accepted now by WITT. A good example of this policy is provided by so called “Green-Zygaenid” or “Forester-Moths” genus Adscita (Procris auct.), which has been studied collectively by Rudolf NAUFOCK, Burchard ALBERTI, Gerhard TARMANN and Konstantin EFETOV and now is well established in the literature. Animals, having identification labels of four prominent scientists, who published data and illustrations on them in various publications, are not rare. Organized in this way collection provides not only a good resource for modern-level studying of diversity of species and forms of the group, but also reflects a vertical history of their study. Perhaps, it is because of special literature, which is in form of reprints, journal and book series is collected in the library parallel to the collection and connected to the specimens by the card index. Cards bear citations of works, in which corresponding taxa are described. Therefore, the most modern understanding of the group “Bombyces and Sphinges of Western Palearctic” is almost exclusively based on recent collection and corresponding library. Since 1965, independently of DANIEL, WITT has started his collection of the same families of Lepidoptera. He began buying small and bigger collections of deceased lepidopterologists, soon covering by his activity almost all the Europe. The considerable number of collections etc. became accessible to the specialists, who started publishing results in the country and abroad. The further point is the continuous acquisition of what has been caught by traveling colleagues. It is worthwhile to mention, that the light trapping has drastically increased since 60th of 20th century due to the invention of high-capacity portable current sources. So it became possible to light trap with a broad spectrum of light sources in the most remote regions, catching previously unachievable number of specimens. A number of undescribed taxa of specific and subspecific levels have correspondingly increased. Research of the Hungarian naturalists’ crew, annually accomplishing trips to areas with no previous collecting activities, merits a special attention. 2 or 3 lepidopterologists, equipped with everything for the light-trapping, have traveled during various seasons to Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan. We would like to mention a Hungarian zoologist, naturalist and specialist on Noctuidae Dr. Marton HREBLAY (1963-2000), who belongs to the pioneers of 20th century lepidopterological studies of the mentioned regions and whose life has tragically ended in an accident in Thailand in 2000. While the material on Noctuidae, obtained in these expeditions, has been circling among Hungarian specialists, causing a series of new discoveries that on Bombyces & Sphinges made its way to WITT Museum. Here all the material is already prepared and preliminary sorted by families. Now it is being gradually studies and published by corresponding scientists and museum specialists. This task will last for decades. Collections of lepidopterologists Dr. Ronald BRECHLIN, Pasewalk, are also of an interest. In 1990th he accomplished many research trips to Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Philippines, Celebes and to the Peoples Republic of China. BRECHLIN taught local people to light trap, receiving then vast collections of different seasons. His material on Bombyces, as well as on Sphingidae and Saturniidae (partially) is also stored in Witt Museum. The material of lepidopterologist and a specialist on Notodontidae Dr. A.SCHINTLMEISTER, Dresden forms the next important part of the collection. It comes from his trips as well as from some of his collectors, primarily, from Victor SINIAEV. Among the most interesting is the collection, made by light trapping in Northern Vietnam, on Fansipan mountain, which belongs to the mountain chain with the high number of Palearctic faunal elements. These have been systematically collected by SINIAEV, AFONIN, SCHINTLMEISTER and BRECHLIN on the course of several years. More than 80.000 moths’ specimens have been brought to Witt Museum. Here they are studied and published in special publication series "Moths of Vietnam with special reference to Mt.Fan-si-pan". Meeting in the beginning of 70th with Josef DE FREINA, Landshut, from whom WITT obtained his Kumaon-Himalayan collections started expeditionary collaboration, which lasts till present day. Almost all the vast material of this traveler, collector and naturalist from Northern Africa, Near and Middle East up to Iran and Afghanistan resides in Witt Museum. In the middle of 70th DE FREINA started his systematic studies of Turkey, relatively unexplored to that time. Material of his innumerous trips is stored in the Museum, becoming the basis for many publications. DE FREINA is considered among the greatest travelers of 20th century in the field of lepidopterology, He is also a pioneer of light trapping in Asia Minor.