Taxonomic Assessment and Distributional Records of Sphingidae Moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) from Nagaland

Does butterfly diversity predict moth diversity? Testing a popular indicator taxon at local scales

The abundance and species richness of moths were evaluated at 16 sites in southern South Korea to assess moth diversity and to identify indicator species for different forest types in this area. In total, 975 moth species were identified in the seven 6-mo collection periods (May–October) between 2001 and 2007. A matrix of 536 species and 36 sampling units was adopted for clustering sampling sites, and indicator species were determined after removing species with fewer than five individuals (370 species), and species that were found at fewer than three sites (36 species). Five different forest groups were identified based on clustering analysis: 1) seashore secondary forest, 2) evergreen deciduous forest, 3) inland young secondary forest, 4) inland mixed deciduous forest, and 5) inland high elevation conifer and deciduous forest. Patterns of moth abundance and species richness within four of the five groups were similar, but the abundance and species richness in the high elevation sites were significantly lower than in the other four groups. Sixty-three species were recognized in the five different forests based on indicator species analysis and the adoption of 63 indicator species in nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination corroborated the grouping of sites into five groups. Many indicator species were woody plant feeders. In the current study, we determined the general pattern of moth diversity in different forest types in southern South Korea and identified indicator moth species that can be used to track future changes in forest structure as the forests age.

Two habitats, a mixed hardwood forest and a longleaf pine savanna, were selected for analysis of moth composition. Three studies assessed differences between moth diversity, efficiency of sampling intensities, and effects of management practices in these habitats. The first study compared diversity and community composition between the two habitats based on 4,337 moths representing 394 species. The mixed hardwood habitat contained 314 species and the longleaf pine 208. Species overlap between two longleaf pine sites was as low as overlap between longleaf pine and mixed hardwood habitats (38%). Differences in moth richness between habitats may be a reflection of differences in plant structure and composition. A greater proportion of moth species unique to mixed hardwood sites fed on woody vegetation (61% for mixed hardwood versus 26% for longleaf pine), whereas more longleaf pine hostplants consisted of herbaceous vegetation (60% for longleaf pine versus 19% for mixed hardwood). The second study, which contrasted an intensive, short-term sampling survey with a long-term survey, recovered 6,970 moths representing 362 species. A high level of similarity was found between the two collections. The intensive collection required 55% of the time yet recovered 85--86% of species found in the long-term collection, suggesting intensive surveys can effectively sample diversity in a habitat if optimal. timing and appropriate taxa are considered. The third study compared moth diversity and species composition among longleaf pine sites that had undergone different burning regimes. A total of 4,272 moths representing 323 species were identified over two years of sampling. Growing and dormant season burn sites did not differ significantly in species richness, yet differences in species composition and host plant use were observed between all three management regimes. Whereas 55% of species unique to growing season sites fed on herbaceous vegetation and 27% fed on hardwoods, 33% of dormant species uniques fed on herbaceous vegetation and 49% utilized hardwoods. Host use for unburned sites indicated 15% were herbaceous and 67% hardwood feeders. Thus, moth species composition reflected differences in plant composition resulting from season of burn, and provided a more accurate measure of habitat response to management than diversity measures alone.

Simple SummaryBiodiversity loss is one of the biggest challenges faced by humankind. Alarming reports on the rapid decline of insect populations call for the exploration of potential drivers of this process. Here, we test the hypothesis that decreases in the abundance and diversity of insects can be caused by industrial pollution. We found that the diversity of moths and butterflies declined in the severely degraded habitats (termed industrial barrens) adjacent to two metallurgical enterprises located in a polar region, but did not respond to moderate levels of sulphur dioxide and heavy metal pollution. Surprisingly, the overall abundance of these insects was not affected even by the extreme pollution loads. This pattern resulted from idiosyncratic responses of moth and butterfly species to pollution, which vary from significantly negative to significantly positive. The patterns in diversity and abundance do not differ between the areas affected by the two studied enterprises, and they are consistent with patterns previously found near another non-ferrous smelter. We conclude that arctic communities of moths and butterflies are unexpectedly tolerant to industrial pollution.Alarming reports on the rapid decline of insects during the past decades call for the exploration of potential drivers of this process. Here, we test the hypothesis that the overall abundance and diversity of moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera) decrease under the impact of industrial pollution in the fragile arctic environment. For this purpose, experienced collectors netted adult Lepidoptera at five tundra sites located 0.5 to 45.3 km from the ore-roasting plant in Zapolyarnyy and at five forest sites located 1.4 to 37.8 km from the copper–nickel smelter at Nikel, in the Murmansk region of Russia. The analysis of the 100 samples collected from 2003 to 2008 and containing 2312 individuals of 122 species revealed that the diversity of Lepidoptera declined significantly near both of these polluters due to both decreases in species richness and changes in the abundance of individual species, whereas the overall abundance of moths and butterflies was independent of the pollution load. These patterns did not differ between Nikel and Zapolyarnyy, and they were consistent with patterns previously found near the copper–nickel smelter at Monchegorsk. The abundances of Lepidoptera species showed variable changes along pollution gradients, from significantly negative to significantly positive, but individual species showed similar density changes around these three polluters. Disproportional increases in the abundance of a few pollution-tolerant species change the community structure and explain why the overall abundance of moths and butterflies does not decline even in localities experiencing extreme loads of sulphur dioxide and heavy metals.

This research focused on the effects of fragmentation on moth diversity in an agricultural landscape by comparing moth species richness and abundance between hillocks and young secondary forests. We examined five sites from the southwestern part of South Korea: three sites from hillock forest and two from secondary forest. We collected moths bi-weekly from April to October for a 2-year period (2006-2007) with a UV light trap that usually attracts moths within 30 meters. Tree species richness and abundance in 20 m×20 m plots at each moth sampling site showed a substantial difference in tree diversity between the two types of forest habitats. The total abundance and richness of moth species were higher in secondary forests (541 species with 4,998 individuals) than in hillock forests (423 species with 3,913 individuals), irrespective of the distance among the sites. An ordination analysis with NMDS showed that habitat is the most important factor of grouping sites. The food preferences of the dominant moth species in each habitat were closely related to the habitat type.

Abstract. 1. We investigated moth diversity and factors determining moth diversity on 17 islands in Dadohaehaesang National Park, South Korea. Moths were sampled from May to July 2009 using three UV light traps on each island. 2. A total of 431 species and 3,745 individuals in 17 families were identified; 83% of the total number of species and individuals identified belonged to the families Noctuidae, Geometridae, and Pyralidae. 3. To investigate the factors that determine moth diversity, we analyzed island area, maximum elevation, distance from the mainland, distance from the nearest island, distance from the nearest larger island, and the number of surrounding islands within 2 km using stepwise regression analysis. Plant community structure was included after transforming these data into six axes using principal component analysis. 4. The number of islands within 2 km was the primary factor explaining the observed moth diversity on the 17 islands. We showed that the equilibrium theory of island biogeography can be applied to moths of Korean offshore islands. Island area and distance from the mainland were also determinant factors of the observed number of species and number of individuals, respectively. These results suggest that protection of large islands together with the closest islands may maintain or preserve moth biodiversity in offshore islands of Korea. 5. While plant community structure did not explain moth diversity, the dominant moth species in each district had a dietary preference for perennial herbs or trees, indicating a preference for more stable resources.

Habitat destruction and degradation are important drivers of biodiversity loss within agro-ecosystems. However, little is known about the effect of farming practices and the value of woody hedgerows on Lepidoptera in North America. The purpose of this work was to study moth diversity in woody hedgerows and croplands of organic and conventional farms. In addition, the influence of vegetation composition and abiotic variables on species richness, abundance, and composition was examined. Moths were sampled with light traps during six weeks in the summer of 2001. Vegetation data and abiotic variables were obtained for all sites. In total, 26,020 individuals from 12 families and 408 species were captured. Most species were uncommon. Only 35 species included >100 individuals while for 71% of species <10 individuals were found. The Noctuidae represented 221 species and 85% of all individuals captured. Woody hedgerows harbored more species and in greater number than croplands. There was no significant difference in moth diversity between organic and conventional farms, except that the Notodontidae were significantly more species rich in organic than in conventional sites. Results show that species richness, abundance, and composition were greatly influenced by habitat types (hedgerow versus crop field) and abiotic variables (minimum temperature which was correlated to moon illumination, rainfall, and cloud cover). Moth species composition was significantly correlated to vegetation composition. This study broadens our understanding of the factors driving moth diversity and expands our knowledge of their geographic range. The maintenance of noncrop habitats such as woody hedgerows within agro-ecosystems seems paramount to preserving the biodiversity and abundance of many organisms, including moths.

Simple SummaryEnvironmental productivity is considered among the key factors responsible for the uneven distribution of biodiversity on the globe, despite the lack of comprehensive studies for many groups of organisms and regions. We partly filled this gap by this study of moth diversity along the unique continent-wide gradient of environmental productivity across southern African savannahs. We revealed a significantly positive relationship of the moth species richness and environmental productivity, which we did not observe for moth abundance. We hypothesize the effects of water availability, habitat complexity, and plant diversity drive the described relationships.Environmental productivity, i.e., the amount of biomass produced by primary producers, belongs among the key factors for the biodiversity patterns. Although the relationship of diversity to environmental productivity differs among studied taxa, detailed data are largely missing for most groups, including insects. Here, we present a study of moth diversity patterns at local and regional scales along a continent-wide gradient of environmental productivity in southern African savannah ecosystems. We sampled diversity of moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) at 120 local plots along a gradient of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from the Namib Desert to woodland savannahs along the Zambezi River. By standardized light trapping, we collected 12,372 specimens belonging to 487 moth species. The relationship between species richness for most analyzed moth groups and environmental productivity was significantly positively linear at the local and regional scales. The absence of a significant relationship of most moth groups’ abundance to environmental productivity did not support the role of the number of individuals in the diversity–productivity relationship for south African moths. We hypothesize the effects of water availability, habitat complexity, and plant diversity drive the observed moth diversity patterns.

Moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera) of Sri Lanka have not been well studied despite the country being a global biodiversity hotspot. It is known that the moth communities are declining worldwide due to threats such as loss and fragmentation of habitats, urbanisation, light pollution, invasive species, and climate change. Thus, tropical moth assemblages that contribute towards ecosystem functions including pollination should be studied and conserved. The present study was carried out in Indikadamukalana Forest Reserve (IMFR) and in Wattala, an urban habitat, both in Western Province to investigate the moth species diversity, richness, relative abundance and habitat parameters that can affect moth assemblages. Moth diversity was investigated over a 7-month period from February to October 2018. Transect line count method was used to sample diurnal moths and light traps with white reflective sheets were used to study nocturnal moths. Aerial nets and fruit baited traps were also used. A total of 160 species belonging to 20 families which represent 8.37% of the 1,911 moth species recorded from Sri Lanka were recorded from both habitats with IMFR recording 138 species belonging to 19 families and urban habitat recording 26 species belonging to 12 families. The species richness and abundance of moths were highest at IMFR. Least species richness and abundance of moths were recorded from the urban habitat. Family Crambidae was the most specious and dominant group throughout the study period followed by family Erebidae which could be due to habitat strata occupied by the moth groups whereas Families Pterophoridae and Tortricidae were recorded with the least number of individuals at IMFR and urban habitats respectively. At IMFR highest abundance of moths were recorded in May while in the urban habitat it was August. The climate parameters between the two habitats did not depict a significant difference but relative humidity was observed to have the highest impact on the changes in abundance of moths with ambient temperature having the least. This study has provided a baseline for future studies into moths of lowland wet zone forests and has highlighted the importance of natural forests in the maintenance of moths in the country. The diversity observed between the habitats were mainly due to anthropogenic activities and could be most probably due to the presence of host plants, evolutionary adaptations and weather parameters. The study recommends, establishing a scientific database on moth diversity, host plants and other factors of the moth life cycle. Keywords: Moths, Wet zone, Sri Lanka

Moths (Lepidoptera) are sensitive to anthropogenic threats and serve as valuable bioindicators. Despite the remarkable diversity and abundance of Lepidoptera globally, there is a lack of information on how moth species are impacted by urbanization. Notably, very little is known about moths in the most populus city of the United States, New York City, where pervasive urban pollutants, artificial light at night, land cover change, and habitat fragmentation are severe. We examined the effects of urbanization on moth biodiversity in New York City, with a focus on green spaces. We used citizen science records from iNaturalist and complemented these data with ground sampling at twelve locations across six parks at night. While the iNaturalist dataset is comprehensive both spatially and temporally, it failed to detect some species we observed on the ground. However, the scope of the field survey dataset is limited in geographical breadth and seasonal coverage. Overall, we found a negative relationship between greater urbanization and moth diversity, with community similarity related to environmental similarity. Our results found greater biodiversity with less light at night and less urban development, and more deciduous tree cover and more open land. Our structural equation model reveals additional insight: although we detected a strong direct negative effect of developed land on moth diversity, urbanization also negatively impacts diversity via indirect effects of reducing open space and deciduous tree cover. Developed open space alone does not directly affect diversity but may positively impact diversity through its covariance with vegetation cover. These findings support the importance of mitigating artificial light at night in urban green spaces and maintaining urban vegetation to ensure nocturnal Lepidoptera can persist in rapidly urbanizing landscapes.

The diversity and faunal composition of geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) was investigated at two sites within an anthropogenically disturbed habitat mosaic at 1950 m and 2005 m a.s.l., in the vicinity of intact Andean montane rainforest in southern Ecuador. A total of 629 specimens belonging to 197 species were collected. The results were compared with those from ten sites of undisturbed forest habitats within an elevational range of 1800-2212 m. The local diversity of the moths at disturbed sites was surprisingly high (Fisher's alpha: 86.1 and 86.8; rarefied species number at the level of 250 specimens: 117 and 113; extrapolated species number, estimator Chao 1: 220 and 303). Forest successions and remnants probably serve as habitats for many species, but diversity is possibly overestimated due to the presence of 'tourist species' from adjacent forests. Disturbed habitats were characterized by a low diversity in the genera Eois, Bonatea and Herbita, probably due to the absence of their potential host plants (e.g. Piper species). Only three moth species represented by more than three individuals were found exclusively in disturbed habitats (Eupithecia densicauda, Pero obtusaria, 'Sabulodes' muscistrigata). Some 25 species profited from disturbance, among these were six species of the genus Eupithecia. The proportion of species present with only one specimen was high (56 and 62%), and species dominance was low (Berger- Parker index: 7.9 and 5.8%). In two-dimensional scaling based on the CNESS index of dissimilarity, disturbed sites are separated from the forest sites. The conservation of secondary forest remnants and natural forest appears to be essential for the survival of the very species-rich Andean geometrid moth communities.

Macro-moths caught in a Rothamsted trap, operating from 1968 to 2003 as part of the Rothamsted Insect Survey, were used to investigate the long-term population trends of moth populations on East Loch Lomondside. In total 367 species of macro moth were recorded during this study. Over the 35 years of this study, an increase was recorded in both the overall number of individuals and moth diversity. Mean annual temperature significantly predicted the change in moth diversity but not number of individuals caught. Four of the most consistently abundant species, collectively constituting 27% of the average annual catch, were subjected to more detailed analysis. The three species that emerge during the summer months Eulithis populata (the northern spinach), Hydriomena furcata (july highflier) and Idaea biselata (the small fan-footed wave) became more abundant throughout the study period, (although for the latter species not significantly so). For Eulithis populata and Idaea biselata their emergence time became earlier, over the study period and in Eulithis populata and Hydriomena furcata, the flight duration also became longer. In contrast, the species that emerges as an adult during autumn and winter, Epirrita dilutata (the november moth) did not exhibit a significant change in abundance, emergence date or flight duration in this study. The results suggest that climate change is at least in part, responsible for the observed changes in species dynamics.

Abstract. Livestock grazing is the most important direct management impact on grasslands in upland areas of the UK. For phytophagous species, such as Lepidoptera, the impact is primarily through grazing altering the species composition and structure of the vegetation. However, specific impacts related to different grazing regimes are not well understood for this group of insects. Within a replicated controlled grazing experiment, nocturnal adult moths were sampled by light trapping in the fifth year after establishment. Sampling effort was standardised between the four grazing treatments by simultaneously using identical traps in each treatment. The highest‐intensity grazing treatment produced the lowest moth abundance and species richness. Ungrazed and low‐intensity sheep grazing treatments produced the highest moth abundance and species richness. Moths that feed exclusively on graminoids and moths that overwinter as larvae were disproportionately well represented in the ungrazed treatment. A sub‐set of species for which large declines have recently been documented in the UK were most abundant in the ungrazed treatment. However, they made up the largest proportion of the overall assemblage in the high‐intensity grazing treatment. Increased grazing inversely affects moth abundance and species richness. However, effects are not even across all moth species. An absence of grazing is likely to negatively affect the abundance of some moths, especially those that overwinter in the egg stage.

Aim This study investigates diversity patterns of vascular plants and plant‐feeding geometrid moths during montane rain forest regeneration in relation to the biogeographical and historical conditions of Mt Kilimanjaro.Location Investigations were undertaken on the south‐western slopes of Mt Kilimanjaro at altitudes between 2075 and 2265 m.Methods Thirteen plots were selected for this study. Four of these were situated in the middle of large clearings (&gt; 1000 m2), three in secondary forest, two in mature forest remnants surrounded by secondary forest and four plots within continuous closed mature forest. Vascular plant species were recorded in an area of 20 × 20 m2. Geometrid moths were attracted using lamps placed inside reflective gauze cylinders.Results Ninety‐three species of vascular plants were recorded on the plots. Plant diversity increased in the course of forest regeneration from clearings and secondary forest to mature forest remnants and mature forest. This increase was visible in all vegetation strata as well as in the species number of Dicotyledoneae. The diversity of geometrid moths conversely decreased from early to late successional stages. A total of 2276 Geometridae representing 114 morphospecies were included in the study. Local values of Fisher's α varied from 10.3 to 18.3 on clearings and in secondary forest, whereas they remained below 8.0 in mature forest and mature forest remnants. There was a significant negative correlation between the diversity of Geometridae and the number of dicots, and of plant species in the shrub layer.Main conclusions Contrary to an expected positive correlation between the diversity of vascular plants and herbivorous geometrid moths, diversity patterns of these two groups are strongly diverging due to biogeographical and ecological factors differently affecting the two groups. The increase in plant diversity can chiefly be explained with an increase in epiphyte diversity which is related to the occurrence of suitable habitats in extensive moss layers on huge Ocotea usambarensis (Engl.) trees in the mature forest. The low diversity of geometrid moths in these forests may be connected to the isolation and relatively young age of the montane rain forests on Mt Kilimanjaro. Hence only a small number of moth species adapted to the cool and perhumid conditions within moist mature forest have so far immigrated into these habitats, and time was insufficient for the evolution of many new species.

Moth diversity, species composition, and distributional pattern in Aravalli Hill Range of Rajasthan, India