Weather Sensitivity of Sugar Bait Trapping of Nocturnal Moths: A Case Study from Northern Europe (original) (raw)
The influence of meteorological events on light-trap collecting of insects
The light-trap collecting results of turnip moth (Scotia segetum Schiff.) were examined connected with different meteorological events as the instability line, the convergence zone, the cyclogenesis, the country-wide rain, the cold-and warm weather fronts, the maritime-and continental moderate, arctic and subtropical air masses used the data published in "Calendar of Weather Phenomena" be-tween 1967 and 1990 by Hungarian National Meteorological Service. There were 29 832 moths caught during 3 232 nights by 64 light-trap stations in the examined period. During one night more light-traps operated, therefore 25 021 observing data were worked up. We mean that the observing data are the same as the catching data at one night, at one observing station. The data of meteorologi-cal events were collected into groups according to their occurrence on one day alone or together with other ones. They were collected into separated groups according to arriving after a day without any meteorological events or if there were any of them on the previous day.
Environmental Entomology, 1997
The effects of moon-phase and meteorological factors on activity of adult noctuid moths were investigated using light and bait traps in southern Spain for 170 nights (2 sampling years). The number of individuals caught in the light trap increased with temperature and decreased with the fullness of the moon. The effect of temperature on flight activity was similar between light and bait traps. The total number of individuals recorded in the bait trap was not affected by fullness of the moon. Increased cloud cover increased catches in light traps, but not bait traps. Bait trap records were lower on windy nights. Average light trap catch varied 6-to 9-fold because of changes in temperature.
Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica
The light trapping success of turnip moth (Scotia segetum Schiff.) connected with continuan ce length of time and ali the possible changes of Péczely type macrosynoptic weather situations was examined in our present paper using the collecting data of Jermy type light-trap network operating in Hungary. Thlvalue of relative catch (Re) was calculated for each observing stations and generations using the catching data. There was made a comparison between the relative catch values and the Péczely type code number belonging to the date. After it the relative catch values were averaged in ali the lJ macrosynoptic situations separated daiJy according to their continuance time. We compared the difference of the averaged relative catch value of each case wi th the averaged ones of the sum of alI other cases. The significance levels were calculated by t-test. The collecting results connected with the changes of macrosynoptic situatíons also were examined in the same way. We can conclude from o...
Journal of entomology and zoology studies, 2017
The lesser date moth, Batrachedra amydraula, is a serious insect pest of young developing date fruits. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) it is responsible for major losses in the annual yield of dates. The objectives of the current study were: (1) to determine the population peak of the B. amydraula using a pheromone-baited trap and (2) to study the relationship between trap catch and average daily temperature. The population dynamics of B. amydraula in date palm plantations were monitored in 2014 and 2015 using delta sticky traps baited with a female sex pheromone [Z-5-Decenyl acetate (40%), Z-5Decen-1-ol (40%), and Z,Z-4,7-Decadienyl acetate (20%)]. In both years, the highest trap catch occurred in April. The population progressively declined to zero by the end of May in 2014 and by the first week of June in 2015. There was a strong negative correlation between the average daily temperature and the number of B. amydraula moths captured in pheromone traps. In conclusion, the curren...
Entomological Research, 2009
Pheromones are innate products, exploited for direct population manipulation in the trapping of precise pest density. They demonstrate feasibility and efficiency against Helicopverpa armigera at five different cotton-based agro-ecological sites: river site, vegetable farm, orchard, clean cultivation site, and forest. The data were recorded at 15–20 day intervals from 8 September 2004 to 1 December 2006. The Number of moths caught during the study period demonstrated that the vegetable farm showed the maximum population of moths per trap (0.54), followed by the orchard (0.29), forest (0.19), river (0.15), and clean cultivation site (0.12). During 2004, rainfall (in the orchard and clean cultivation site) and relative humidity (in the clean cultivation site) showed positive and significant correlation with the number of moths caught. During 2005, temperatures played a significant and positive role in population fluctuation of the pest almost at all the selected sites; the minimum temperature was recorded at the vegetable farm and the average temperature was found at the forest site. Rainfall also showed a significant and positive correlation with trapped moths in the vegetable farm, orchard, and clean cultivation site. During 2006, relative humidity showed a significant and negative correlation with the trapped population at all the sites except the river site. Rainfall showed a negative and significant correlation with the pest at the forest site. Relative humidity was the most important aspect at 8.93% causing variation in the trapped population followed by maximum temperature (5.7%), rainfall (1.63%), average temperature (0.74%), and minimum temperature (0.56%).
Quantitative community-wide moth surveys frequently employ flight-interception traps equipped with UV-light emitting sources as attractants. It has long been known that moth species differ in their responsiveness to light traps. We studied how the settling behaviour of moths at a light trap may further contribute to sampling bias. We observed the behaviour of 1426 moths at a light tower. Moths were classifi ed as either, settling and remaining still after arrival, or continually moving on the gauze for extended periods of time. Moths that did not move after settling may not end up in the sampling container of the light trap and therefore are under-represented in automated trap samples relative to their true proportions in the community. Our analyses revealed highly significant behavioural differences between moths that differed in body size. Small moths were more likely to remain stationary after settling. As a corollary, representatives of three taxa, which in Europe are predominantly small species (Nolidae, Geometridae: Eupitheciini, Erebidae: Lithosiini), usually settled down immediately, whereas most other moths remained active on or flying around the trap for some time. Moth behaviour was also modulated by ambient temperature. At high temperatures, they were less likely to settle down immediately, but this behavioural difference was most strongly apparent among medium-sized moths. These results indicate the likely extent of the sampling bias when analysing and interpreting automated light-trap samples. Furthermore, to control for temperature modulated sampling bias temperature should always be recorded when sampling moths using flight-interception traps.
Environmental Entomology, 1999
In a 3-yr study (1991Ð1993), we compared blacklight and Townes-style Malaise traps for assessing richness and abundance of forest macrolepidoptera in 4 small watersheds in the Fernow Experimental Forest in West Virginia. From early May through mid-August each year, sampling was conducted by one 8-W blacklight trap and 5 Townes-type Malaise traps in each watershed. Light traps were operated 1 night each week; Malaise traps operated continuously with the samples collected every 10 d. Over all years, macrolepidopteran species richness and abundance were 343 and 36,160 and 273 and 28,246 for light trap and Malaise trap samples, respectively. Percentage of total macrolepidopteran species per family was similar in both collecting methods although both diurnal and nocturnal lepidopterans were represented in Malaise samples. Differences were noted in percentage of total abundance by family. For example, geometrid abundance was similar in both sample types and represented the highest overall abundance, whereas the proportion of arctiids and notodontids was higher in light trap samples, and proportional abundance of noctuids was higher in Malaise trap samples. There were 135 and 65 species unique to light trap and Malaise trap samples, respectively. Abundance of macrolepidopterans sampled by both methods was highest in 1991 (a warm, dry year) and lowest in 1992 (a cool, wet year). Minimum ambient temperature and rainfall signiÞcantly affected the sizes of samples from blacklight traps, based on multiple-regression analysis. Moonlight in the absence of cloud cover reduced moth catch in blacklight traps. Mean ambient temperature, but not total rainfall, during trapping periods signiÞcantly affected the sizes of Malaisetrap samples based on a multiple autoregression analysis.
Influence of habitat and climate on the capture of male pine processionary moths
Bulletin of Insectology
In the Aspromonte National Park (Calabria, Southern Italy), data were collected over 3 years on the flight of male pine processionary moths (PPM), as determined by pheromone traps, to determine the effect of habitat characteristics and climatic factors on male PPM flight. A variety of parameters, such as tree density, host tree species and the position of the traps, were investigated to analyze teir effect on PPM catches in relation to weekly minimum temperatures and accumulated precipitation. The characteristics of the forest stands had a variable effect on moth catches. The abundance of PPM males caught was related to host Pinus species and to the size of patches, with a noticeable positive effect of temperature and a negative effect of precipitation. The host Pinus nigra, particularly when associated with other host species, such as Pinus sylvestris and Pinus insignis, smaller sized patches and lower density forests, positively affected moth flight. Flying males were caught above...