Moth Diversity Research Articles

A checklist of moths in Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, in the western Himalayan foothills, India

In the first ever enumeration of moth diversity of Bilaspur district, Himachal Pradesh, India, located mostly in the Shivalik range, 82 species/morphospecies were reported, at least 22 of which are new records for Himachal Pradesh, and five are new records for Western Himalayas. In addition to a list of moths for the district supplemented with photographs, identification keys for similar species, larval host plants for species, and a near exhaustive dataset of distribution of the species/genera within and outside India are also provided.

Diversity of moth families in Urban Bangalore with trends in weather patterns

This work focuses on moths, which serve as pollinators in an ecosystem. The study area, Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1 in Jalahalli (Latitude: 13.05527, Longitude: 77.53591), is a biodiverse green space within the bustling city of Bengaluru. The study sheds light on the diversity and characteristics of moths in a natural ecosystem closely surrounded by urban development. Data on various moth species were collected from an iNaturalist project, which had already documented the area’s biodiversity over more than a year. The present study enhanced this dataset with additional observations. Remarkably, over 230 moth species were recorded in just one year, including the first photographic documentation of a moth from the family Palaeosetidae in India. Researchers classified this data to explore the seasonal diversity of different moth families within the study area. As part of the project, a mercury vapor lamp trap was set up to evaluate its effectiveness in attracting moths. Additionally, the flowering plant species in the study area were documented, classified, and compared with existing data. This allowed researchers to relate observed moth families with the plant species they pollinate. Overall, work contributes significantly to our understanding of moth ecology in this unique urban-natural interface.

HISTORY OF THE ERMINE MOTH (LEPIDOPTERA: YPONOMEUTIDAE) STUDY IN THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST AND ADJACENT COUNTRIES

As a result of the analysis of the history of the family Yponomeutidae study the three conditional stages were outlined mainly based on the used research methods. The first stage, which began in the first half of XVIII century and ended at the beginning of the XX century, covers the period from the first descriptions with illustrations of larva nests and the external features of the preimaginal and imaginal stages to the use of genital characters in the species identification. From the latter the second stage starts and ends before the introduction of the molecular genetic method for study of taxonomic diversity. During this stage the study of the ermine moths were expanded to comparative morphological research, elucidation of the homology of genital structures based on their functional morphology and development of taxonomy based on phylogenetic analyses. The third stage begins from the end of XX century, when researchers started to use molecular markers to solve taxonomic problems in the group. According to the results of many years of research, the fauna of yponomeutid moths has been studied in Russia and adjacent countries very unevenly and, in general, insufficiently. Currently, the species diversity of ermine moths in the Russian Far East is 38 species from 10 genera, significantly inferior to that of China (70 species of 17 genera) and less to that in Japan (46 species of 16 genera). However, the species diversity of ermine moths in the Russian Far East exceeds the known diversity of this group in Korea (25 species from 10 genera).

Assessment of moth diversity in the Zealandia ecosanctuary through a community science initiative

ABSTRACT A collaborative project involving researchers and citizen scientists was conducted in the Zealandia ecosanctuary (Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand) during 2019–2022 to investigate Lepidoptera biodiversity. Here we present the first results of that project, reporting on the success of the citizen science approach and presenting a checklist of moth species in Zealandia. Sampling efforts took place roughly monthly during the night, and relied heavily on the participation of keen volunteers. Moths were primarily attracted using a mercury vapour light trap, but sweep-netting was also applied. On each trip, a selection of representative specimens was collected, humanely euthanised, prepared, photographed, and deposited as voucher specimens in the entomological collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Photos were uploaded to the community science online platform iNaturalist, where experts could help in identifying the species. We report a total of 262 species in Zealandia, belonging to 29 families; of those species, 22 are exotic. Notably, 217 species were found via our sampling, and the remaining 45 were recorded by citizen scientists and posted on iNaturalist. While this is likely an underestimate of the true species count in Zealandia, we consider the project a successful citizen science initiative that has generated valuable data, a fine collection of voucher specimens for the future, considerable public engagement, and positive media attention.

Moth Biodiversity in Central Kerala: A Comprehensive Examination of Urban and High-Altitude Habitats With New Distribution Record of Palaeosetidae

The order Lepidoptera, encompassing both butterflies and moths, many species within lepidoptera plays a pivotal role in ecosystem dynamics as key pollinators. Moths, constituting the vast majority within this order, serve as essential contributors to biodiversity in the Indian subcontinent, with over 12,000 known species. Despite their ecological significance, our understanding of moth diversity in India remains incomplete. This study addresses this knowledge gap by conducting a focused survey of moths in central Kerala between May 2019 and December 2021. Utilizing a standardized methodology involving moth trapping with white cloth and mercury vapor bulbs, we recorded and analyzed 483 moth species spanning 44 families. Notably, this investigation documented the presence of the family Palaeosetidae in Kerala for the first time including two species previously reported only from the Khasi Hills. Additionally, the first-ever sighting of Corgatha semipardata in India and the presence of Cirrhochrista fuscusa in South India were reported. Temporal activity patterns of moths revealed intriguing variations, and a meticulous identification process resulted in classifications at various taxonomic levels. Erebidae emerged as the most speciose family, predominantly in urban areas, while Crambidae, Geometridae, and Noctuidae thrived in high-altitude regions, indicating habitat diversity. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the challenge of identifying moths without specimen collection, particularly for microlepidoptera, which needs further research in this area. The observation of Macroglossum genus caterpillars suggests the possibility of migration, opening avenues for future investigations into moth movement patterns. In conclusion, our research highlights the rich diversity of moths in central Kerala and emphasizes the importance of conserving ecosystems and host plants in urban areas. While providing valuable insights, this study acknowledges its limitations due to a limited duration and calls for extensive research to comprehensively assess moth species richness in the region, offering a crucial foundation for future studies focused on moth diversity.

The Diversity of Moths in Suheldev Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh, India

The Diversity of Moths in Suheldev Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttar Pradesh, India

Addition to the knowledge on the moth fauna (Insecta: Lepidoptera) of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia

Additions to the moth fauna of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia are given. We report on first observations of five species and on reconfirmation of one species after eight decades. In Croatia, we recorded the species Eublemma cochylioides (Guenée, 1852) for the first time, while Eublemma himmighoffeni (Millière, 1867) has been confirmed in the country after 85 years. We report on the first observation of five moth species for Bosnia and Herzegovina: Triodia adriaticus (Osthelder, 1931), Eumera regina Staudinger, 1892, Dryobotodes monochroma (Esper, 1790), Lithophane lapidea (Hübner, [1808]) and Nycteola columbana (Turner, 1925). Even though these records could be expected due to species general distributions, they fill the knowledge of moth diversity of both countries and the wider region.

Disentangling how urbanisation influences moth diversity in grasslands

Abstract Urban areas have profound impacts on local species diversity and composition through a set of intertwined changes in the environment. As the world is rapidly urbanising while simultaneously facing a biodiversity crisis, a better understanding of how urbanisation influences biodiversity is necessary. To test if and how urbanisation influences moth diversity and whether urbanisation is acting directly or indirectly via urbanisation‐induced increased habitat isolation, smaller habitat area, higher light pollution and increased mowing intensity, we sampled moths with light trapping in 20 grasslands in the urban core of the city of Darmstadt (southwestern Germany) and 20 grasslands in the surrounding area. Moth abundance and diversity decreased with increasing urbanisation. Smaller habitat area and high mowing intensity reduced moth abundance, while other environmental variables including isolation and light pollution had only indirect effects. High levels of urbanisation were associated with reduced moth abundance, which in turn drove declines in diversity. Urbanised sites favoured generalist species and differed in species composition compared to sites in the surrounding. The results show that urbanisation is directly reducing moth abundance and diversity in cities. The negative effect of urbanisation is further attenuated by habitat fragmentation and high mowing intensity, which are both known drivers of biodiversity decline in urban areas and beyond. While urbanisation itself is often irreversible, reducing mowing intensity and preserving larger grassland areas could facilitate moths and other taxa in and around cities.

Study the Diversity of Nocturnal Moths in Agricultural Field of Western Maharashtra Region

Abstract: Study of moths is important as they are significant part of the ecosystem. A study on macro-moths was conducted at agricultural field of Western Maharashtra region from month of June 2022 to May 2023. The Main aim of study to acquire the detail information of moths found in agricultural filed of District Satara and Pune. During the study period, a total 2012 specimen’s moths were observed. In addition, the number of families recorded from agricultural field of Western Maharashtra is also high, 20 families and 57 species occurred in desired location. Agricultural field of Western Maharashtra shows moths diversity. So, moth diversity was studied from Western Maharashtra from two sites including Phaltan and Baramati taluka respectively. These two sites have a few species in common. In general, Arctiidae, Noctuidae, Pyralidae and Sphingidae dominated both the sites. The Moths were collected by using mercury light traps (160 W). The moth diversity has been studied for the first time from Agricultural field of Western Maharashtra region.

Magnifying the hotspot: descriptions of nine new species of many-plumed moths (Lepidoptera, Alucitidae), with an identification key to all species known from Cameroon.

This study confirms Mount Cameroon as an unprecedented hotspot for the diversity of many-plumed moths, with the discovery and description of nine new species: Alucitafako Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucitapyrczi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucitasroczki Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucitapotockyi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucitasedlaceki Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucitatonda Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucitaerzayi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., Alucitasokolovi Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov., and Alucitahirsuta Ustjuzhanin & Kovtunovich, sp. nov. Additionally, four additional species are reported from the Mount Cameroon area as new for the country: Alucitaagassizi, Alucitadohertyi, Alucitaplumigera, and Alucitarhaptica. Of the 89 Alucitidae known from the Afrotropics, the studied area hosts 36 species, most of which are endemic to the area. This unprecedented level of diversity and endemism within this lepidopteran family highlights Mount Cameroon's significance as a stronghold for specialised insect taxa. Efficient conservation efforts are necessary to protect these ecosystems and their associated unique microlepidopteran diversity.

Moth Diversity in the Mahamaya Reserve Forest, Kokrajhar, Assam

The present study was conducted in the Mahamaya Reserve Forest area of Kokrajhar, Assam for one year from 2021 to 2022 to record the moths found in the area. A total of 129 species were identified, belonging to 20 families and 114 genera. The most predominant are the Erebidae and Crambidae, with 13 species being identified as new records from this region of Assam. The diversity indices revealed moderate dominance (D 0.19) of moths in the study sites. Simpson diversity with 0.8, Shannon diversity presented 2.1 moderate diversity. Margalef index value with 4.012 at par and Berger-Parker index 0.3 indicated a good diversity of moths in the region.

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

An updated checklist of 22 moth species under 14 genera belonging to Sphingidae has been catalogued with an aim to follow the current state of knowledge in moth diversity from the north-eastern state of Nagaland. Although, richly endowed with an array of biodiversity, the state seriously lacks attention regarding faunal status and distributions; ergo, the present work to ascertain the diversity of hawk moths of the state based on records from available literature to fill the void on the path of systematic research.

An inventory of moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) from Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh

The current research work was done to evaluate the diversity and distribution of moths (Lepidoptera) from Kullu and Mandi districts of Himachal Pradesh. The sample of moths was collected from 4 villages in Mandi (Sadar Mandi, Joginder Nagar, Sarkaghat, and Sunder Nagar) that lie at an altitude of 750–1,200 m above the main sea level and 5 villages in Kullu (Banjar, Tandi, Chethar, Bini, and Bahu) that lie at an altitude of 1,300–2,000 m above the main sea level. The collection was done in the months from August 2020 to October 2020 and June 2021 to October 2021. The collection of moths was done at night because moths are nocturnal species, using a light trap method. The samples were then sacrificed using a few drops of ethyl acetate in a killing jar. Afterward, the samples were pinned and stretched. A total of 300 samples (230 from Kullu and 70 from Mandi) were collected, which belong to 82 species, 67 genera, 20 subfamilies, and 14 families were collected and identified. From Kullu district, we collected 43 species, and from Mandi, we collected 13 species. Other than these, 26 species were found to be common in both Kullu and Mandi districts, making a total of 69 species from Kullu and 39 species from Mandi. The genitalia dissection of 54 moth’s samples was also performed. The most species-rich family was Erebidae, which includes 40 species, and the most abundant species during the study was Nyctemera adversata (Schaller, 1788). The moth’s population was found to be highest in the Kullu district, and the diversity of moths was highest in the months of July- September and declined from October onward.

A hasty survey on diversity of moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) from Bargi region of Jabalpur (M.P.)

A hasty survey on diversity of moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) from Bargi region of Jabalpur (M.P.)

Macro Moth (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) Diversity in the Southern Assam Region: A Study in Cachar District, India

Macro Moth (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) Diversity in the Southern Assam Region: A Study in Cachar District, India

Seasonality, diversity, and forest type associations of macro moths (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Heterocera) in the Shiwalik landscape of northern India and its conservation implications

A study was carried out to evaluate the seasonal diversity of macro moths across different forest sub-types occurring in theShiwalik landscape of northern India, mainly Uttarakhand and adjoining states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. Fortythree field surveys of 59 days were carried out from July 2020 to October 2022 using stratified random sampling in each of the 19 selected study sites. Sampling surveys revealed 321 species of moths belonging to 19 families and 49 sub-families. These new range extensions from central Himalaya and northeastern India indicate the affinity of moths found in the northern Indian Shiwaliks with that of the Oriental region. Seasonal trend of species richness showed two annual peaks, with the first peak occurring in August followed by a smaller peak in October, while the seasonal abundance of moth species was maximum in July followed by a smaller peak in September. One-hundredand-forty species occurred only during the ‘monsoon’ season indicating their seasonality, univoltine habit and short flight periods in these tropical forests. Species richness of moths correlated positively with relative humidity (r2 = 0.100; p = 0.0142; n = 59). The most dominant family was Erebidae (95 species) followed by Geometriidae (61), Crambidae (72), and Noctuidae (28), respectively. Maximum number of moth species were sampled in forest sub-type (i) 3C/C2a Moist Shiwalik Sal Forest, followed by (ii) 5B/C2 Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest, (iii) 3C/C2c Moist Tarai Sal Forest, iv) 5B/C1a Dry Shiwalik Sal Forest, respectively. The study also revealed changing moth communities along with the vegetation structure in the Shiwaliks from east (Nandhaur Willife Sanctaury in Uttarakhand bordering Nepal) to west (Simbalbara National Park in Himachal Pradesh,India) across the landscape. The moth communities of (i) 3C/C2a Moist Shiwalik Sal Forest & (ii) 3C/C2c Moist Tarai Sal Forest being different from that of (iii) 5B/C2 Northern Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest, and (iv) 5B/C1a Dry Shiwalik Sal Forest. Besides, six new range extensions into Shiwaliks of northern India from central Nepal and northeastern India, namely: Chlorozancla falcatus (Butler, 1889) (Geometridae); Cynaeda dichroalis (Hampson, 1903), Dichocrocis pyrrhalis (Walker, 1859) & Glyphodes canthusalis Walker, 1859 (Crambidae); and Acropteris iphiata (Guenée, 1857) (Uranidae) were recorded.

150 Years of Coevolution Research: Evolution and Ecology of Yucca Moths (Prodoxidae) and Their Hosts.

Yucca moths (Tegeticula and Parategeticula) are specialized pollinators of yucca plants, possessing unique, tentacle-like mouthparts used to actively collect pollen and deposit it onto the flowers of their hosts. The moths' larvae feed on the developing seeds and fruit tissue. First described in 1873, the yucca-yucca moth pollination system is now considered the archetypical example of a coevolved intimate mutualism. Research conducted over the past three decades has transformed our understanding of yucca moth diversity and host plant interactions. We summarize the current understanding of the diversity, ecology, and evolution of this group, review evidence for coevolution of the insects and their hosts, and describe how the nature of the interaction varies across evolutionary time and ecological contexts. Finally, we identify unresolved questions and areas for future research.

Lepidopteran fauna of Mandaitivu Mangrove Ecosystem, Jaffna, Sri Lanka

The mangrove forests, which support the survival of both terrestrial and aquatic inhabitants, are considered some of the most productive ecosystems. Mangrove faunal diversity is well known for the vertebrates and invertebrates but is poorly known for insects. Mangroves and insects have strong relationships in which mangroves provide a suitable habitat for insect habitation. In contrast, the feeding activities of insects contribute to the litter detritus formation and sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem. They connect mangroves with adjoined terrestrial and marine ecosystems by their eco-services such as pollination, herbivory, predation, and being food for other predators. Lepidopterans, consisting of moths and butterflies, are the most widely recognized insects as indicators of the ecosystem's health and are considered in conservation strategies. As the information on the Lepidopteran fauna of mangrove has not been revealed in Sri Lanka, this study was performed to explore the diversity of butterflies and moths in the Mandaitivu mangrove ecosystem from August 2019 to March 2020 located in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. True mangrove species such as Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops tagal and Pemphis acidula are distributed as patches around this island. Adult as well as larval stages of butterflies and moths were collected from two different locations based on the abundance of the mangrove vegetation at the west and south border of the Mandaitivu Island through sweep netting and hand-picking methods. They were then identified based on their morphological characteristics. A total of 13 butterfly species, belonging to four families, and 6 moth species, belonging to three families were recorded. The highest species composition was recorded from Avicennia marina than Rhizophora mucronata which has fewer insects probably due to the thickness of their leaves. The plain tiger (Danaus chrysippus) was the most common and abundant butterfly followed by Mottled Emigrant (Catopsilia pyranthe) and the Small Salmon Arab (Colotis amata). The Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta), the critically endangered (CR) species was also found. The other twelve species are listed as least concerned (LC) nationally. All the moth species recorded are listed as not assessed as per the IUCN red list. These results confirm that further extensive surveys in the Mandaitivu mangrove ecosystem will expose more diverse assemblages of lepidopterans that can be utilized in threat assessment and conservation strategy planning.

Moth diversity of Guindy, Chennai, India and DNA barcoding of selected erebid moths

In this study, diversity of moths has been documented from Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu. During the study, over 100 specimens were collected from which 59 moth species were identified from the commercial hub of Chennai, Guindy. The species identified belonged to 52 genera, 11 families, and 25 subfamilies. Erebidae was a front runner, followed by Crambidae, Geometridae, Sphingidae, and Noctuidae. Furthermore, Eupterotidae, Uraniidae, Nolidae, Lasiocampidae, Pterophoridae, and Thyrididae were the least recorded families. Among 26 erebids, 14 species were subjected for identification through mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene to resolve the ambiguity. The sequences resulted were deposited in GenBank and BOLD system where they received accession numbers and process IDs. Further, phylogenetic analysis categorized Metanastria hyrtaca Cramer, 1782 in a separate clade.

Host Range Expansion of Nest-Parasitic Moths Pyralis regalis and Hypsopygia mauritialis in Social Wasp Nests: New Findings and Implications for Biological Control

Parasitic moths are common in social wasp (Hymenoptera) nests, attacking many species of Polistinae and a few species of Vespinae. In the Republic of Korea, two moth species are known to parasitize the brood of Polistes rothneyi koreanus: Pyralis regalis (Pyralidae) and Anatrachyntis japonica (Cosmopterigidae). Although previously reported elsewhere, a novel case of parasitization was recently documented in the Republic of Korea, in which Hypsopygia mauritialis (Pyralidae) was identified in the nests of social wasps. Pyralis regalis is the most common parasitic moth in the Republic of Korea, feeding on the nests of 11 species of social wasps, mostly the Korean Vespa species. To that list of hosts, we add a species of Dolichovespula and two species of Polistes. Parasitism of Vespa velutina nigrithorax, an invasive alien hornet, by both P. regalis and H. mauritialis, was observed for the first time. However, their potential to control invasive alien hornets is expected to be low. This study provides new insights into the diversity of nest-parasitic moths in social wasp nests and their hosts in the Republic of Korea, and highlights the potential for these moths to impact pest populations.