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![Field i.d. – key references
• Barlow, H.S., 1982. An Introduction to the Moths of South East Asia.
Malayan Nature Society.
• Fauna Sinica Insecta (Science Press, Beijing), vols. 3, 5, 7, 11, 15, 16, 19,
27, 30, 31, 36, 38, 47.
• Haruta, T. (ed.) 1992-2000. Moths of Nepal (in 6 parts, published as
supplement volumes of the journal Tinea)
• Holloway, J.D., 1983-2011. The Moths of Borneo (in 18 parts)
[available on-line, except parts 2, 13 & 17]
• Leverton, R., 2001. Enjoying Moths. T. & A.D.Poyser Natural History,
London
• Robinson, G.S., Tuck, K.R. & Shaffer, M., 1994. The Smaller Moths of
South-East Asia. The Natural History Museum, London
• various authors. The Moths of Thailand. 6 volumes published to date.,
Bangkok.](https://image-private.slidesharecdn.com/2015hkbws-mothmagic-150807051727-lva1-app6891/85/slide-36-320.jpg?hdnea=acl=/2015hkbws-mothmagic-150807051727-lva1-app6891/85/slide-36-320.jpg*~exp=1770144118~hmac=f4f34cd861c84612f4f151e93070f0ab52b3c168f1c36e0a664034edc98989dc&cb=1438924775)
Uploaded byRoger Kendrick
Moth Magic- An Introduction to Moths [2015 HKBWS]
presentation given to the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society on 6 August 2015 (in English); covers a basic guide to moths, their diversity, how to identify and record moths in Hong Kong. Provides some key go to resources to recording moth observations and for moth identification.
Moth Magic- An Introduction to Moths [2015 HKBWS]
- 1. Moth Magic by Dr. RogerC. KENDRICK C & R Wildlife, Hong Kong founder Asian Lepidoptera Conservation Symposium An Introduction to Moths
- 2. Introduction to Moths •What is a moth? • Diversity • Survival Strategies • Ecological Services • Role in Wildlife Conservation • short break !! • Recording Moths • Field Identification Skills . . .
- 3. What is amoth? main characters Lepidoptera = Greek for scale-winged 27 characters defining Lepidoptera: main ones on adult Lepidoptera are: - • Hairs on wing modified as scales; • Presence of haustellum (coiled proboscis – may be degenerate or lost in some taxa); • Presence of “vom Rath’s organ” in terminal segment of labial palp; • Fore tibia with movable “epiphysis” (antenna comb) on inner surface; • Median ocellus absent.
- 4. Moth Diversity source: Mutanen etal., 2010
- 5. Diversity - MajorFamilies in Asia • Tineidae • Gracillariidae • Yponomeutidae • Oecophoridae • Gelechiidae • Tortricidae • Pyralidae • Crambidae • Thyrididae • Zygaenidae • Sesiidae • Sphingidae • Saturniidae • Geometridae • Notodontidae • Erebidae (inc. Arctiinae & Lymantriinae) • Nolidae • Noctuidae
- 6. Diversity – Numbersof Species Globally – c. 160,000 described, a further 150,000 to 200,000 estimated China – circa 20,000 + ? Borneo – c. 4,500 “macro” + further 4,000 “micro” estimated Taiwan – c. 4,000 recorded, adding tens new to science most years UK – 2,500 species, adding a few each year HK – 2,400 recorded + 1,500 to 2,500 to find
- 7. Magic of MothDiversity • 150,000 to 200,000 species thought to be awaiting description or discovery! (mostly in the tropics, and even in HK – 590 of the 2,400 spp not id’d yet, 91 spp newly described by science since 1990) • many ecological niches and almost all terrestrial habitats occupied • many species / higher taxa specially adapted to particular ecological niche, thus good indicators of habitat change, environmental impact or “quality”
- 8. Survival Strategies –Adult Moths Mimicry plants & lichens: leaves, twigs, tree trunks, (colour and shape/posture) animals: mammal faces; snakes; unpalatable insects – spiders, wasps, bees, poisonous moths & butterflies; bird droppings
- 9. Survival Strategies –Adult Moths Sound detection of ultrasound to avoid bats; emitting sound to advertise unpalatability (Arctiinae) or pacify bees (Acherontia) Colour use of simple bold bright patterns to advertise unpalatability flash colours to surprise
- 10. Survival Strategies –Moth Larvae Mimicry plants & lichens: leaves, twigs, tree trunks, (colour and shape/posture) animals: snakes; bird droppings
- 11. Survival Strategies –Moth Larvae Concealment crypsis; leaf rolling; leaf mining; webs; stem borers; root feeders; nocturnal feeders Colour use of simple bold bright patterns to advertise unpalatability
- 12. Ecological Services Pollination Food resources NutrientRecycling Pest control
- 13. Role of Mothsin Wildlife Conservation high biodiversity, high relative abundance and relative ease of identification make moths: 1. a good group for monitoring effects of ecological processes and factors that affect these processes 2. indicate habitats and landscapes likely to be of high conservation value
- 14. Role of Mothsin Wildlife Conservation good for “hands on” demonstration of ecological strategies and connecting with nature
- 15. Recording Moths • Lights •Traps • Nets • Baits • Larvae • Photography • Weather • Keeping Records • Publishing
- 16. Lights MV – mercuryvapour Actinic / UV – ultra- violet LED Tungsten (incandescent) Halogen
- 17. “Traps” Sheet – needsto be manned at all times. Good in the tropics Not good for abundance samples. Box – “Heath” and “Skinner” traps. Catch retention reasonable, but a long way from perfect. Bucket – “Robinson” trap most efficient design, but still well short of 100% catch retention. Large traps not very portable, smaller versions for use with actinic tubes more portable.
- 18.
- 19. Baits “Sugar” wine rope fruit faeces synthetic pheromones others .. . Photo: Fritz Geller-Grimm (via Wikipedia)Photo: D.E.Walter (http://homebuggarden.blogspot.hk/2014/06/winters-coming.html)
- 20. Moth Larvae Finding larvae beatingtray sweep net leaf rolls leaf mines galls (stems, twigs, buds) flowers & fruits Rearing larvae t.l.c. ! making notes & taking photos . . .
- 21. Photography digital camera data storage macrofunction close focus control of flash best views to shoot for i.d.
- 22. Weather Light trapping: avoidhigh wind & heavy rain; light rain / mist and warm conditions seem best; in HK night time min between 17°C and 28°C optimal; in UK between 8°C and ? (not warm enough!) larval searching: avoid heavy rain (everything washed away!) sugar/bait/pheromone: calm weather best
- 23. Keeping Records what, (whomade the id) sight record, voucher specimen (where kept) or photo where seen/collected when recorded kept in notebook or on computer database
- 24. Publishing individual records of noteor a species life history; summary of a single recording event site or area lists changes in species seen or phenology (long term data), distribution . . .
- 25. Field Identification ofMoths Wing pattern Colour & Variations Antennae Resting Posture Behaviour
- 26. Visible Field Characters Adults •Wing shape, pattern, posture and coupling mechanism; • On the head: form of antenna and of labial palps; • Presence of haustellum (coiled proboscis – may be degenerate or lost in some taxa); • Pattern on head, thorax and abdomen; • Leg morphology & patterns. Larvae • Number of abdominal prolegs; • Pattern, spines, other appendages.
- 27. Wing Patterns -areas • Note the distinctive pattern features in relation to the wing areas and edges as defined above. • For clarity, all the possible lines (fascia and streaks) have not been illustrated in the following pages – a particular marking could occur anywhere on the wing; note its relative position to the nearest edge and wing area. medial basal terminal costa termen tornus dorsum apex base
- 28. Wing Patterns –vertical lines lines crossing the wing: Fasciae 1 – basal fascia 2 – sub-medial or ante- medial fascia 3 – medial fascia 4 – post-medial fascia 5 – sub-terminal fasica 1 2 3 4 5
- 29. Wing Patterns -streaks lines along the wing: Streaks 1 – basal streak 2 – medial streak 3 – tornal streak 4 – apical streak 1 2 3 4
- 30. Wing Patterns -spots spots on the wing 1 – orbicular stigma 2 – claviform stigma 3 – sub-reniform stigma 4 – discal spot, inside the reniform stigma 1 3 2 4
- 31. Wing Patterns -veins wing venation (stems only) 1 – sub-costal vein (Sc) 2 – radial sector (Rs) 3 – cubital (Cu) / medial vein (M) 4 – anal vein (A) c – discal cell 1 4 2 3 c
- 32. Colour & Variation Notethe colour(s) of the wing patterns. • Whilst this is not always diagnostic, it is usually a good guide to a species’ identity. • Sometimes colours on the body, legs, head or ventral wing surface may be diagnostic. • Be aware that colours & patterns in a species may: differ between male and female; differ between wet and dry seasons; have melanic forms; and/or be faded and worn.
- 33. Antennae Note the formand length of the antenna, • filiform (simple, threadlike) • uni-, bi-, tri- or quadripectinate (with one ramus per segment, or 2 – 4 rami per segment) • fasciculate and if there is any distinct basal modification, especially at the scape (base)
- 34. Resting Posture Note howthe moth sits: • how are the wings held; • where are the antennae? • how does it position its body and legs?
- 35. Behaviour What is themoth doing? • record flowers visited; • other nutritional sources used; • thermoregulation behaviour; • territorial behaviour. • sexual behaviour;
- 36. Field i.d. –key references • Barlow, H.S., 1982. An Introduction to the Moths of South East Asia. Malayan Nature Society. • Fauna Sinica Insecta (Science Press, Beijing), vols. 3, 5, 7, 11, 15, 16, 19, 27, 30, 31, 36, 38, 47. • Haruta, T. (ed.) 1992-2000. Moths of Nepal (in 6 parts, published as supplement volumes of the journal Tinea) • Holloway, J.D., 1983-2011. The Moths of Borneo (in 18 parts) [available on-line, except parts 2, 13 & 17] • Leverton, R., 2001. Enjoying Moths. T. & A.D.Poyser Natural History, London • Robinson, G.S., Tuck, K.R. & Shaffer, M., 1994. The Smaller Moths of South-East Asia. The Natural History Museum, London • various authors. The Moths of Thailand. 6 volumes published to date., Bangkok.
- 37. Recording HK’s Moths •Photographic records – please deposit at iNaturalist’s Hong Kong Moths Recording Project, whence they’ll get added to the HK Moth Recorder Database. • Identifications – via websites : HKMR on iNat, Moths of Borneo, Moths of Japan ; & HK Wildlife Net forum / F/B • Can’t find an i.d.? – consider further research options, visit KFBG’s HK moth collection (by appointment), or . . . • Books on HK moths : • Kendrick (2002) – Ph.D. thesis (many nomenclatural updates and a few misidentifications) • HKLS photo “guides” (two volumes so far: 2014, 2015) • HKES volumes on insects – “Insecta Hongkongica” & “A Photographic Guide to HK Insects” (though with unnecessary errors)
- 38. Why are mothsmagic ? because . . . . Survival strategy: colours; shapes; behaviour Biodiversity: high species richness Involvement: community and individual Value: conservation, ecosystem and cultural
- 39. Acknowledgments: Attendees Thank you Asian Lepidoptera ConservationSymposia ALCS3 - Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, India, 2010 ALCS4 - Nankai University, Tianjin, China, 2012 ALCS – NSS Workshop, Singapore, 2014 Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (Hong Kong)
- 40. Moth Magic -Questions ?
Editor's Notes
- #18 Sheet – labour intensive as needs to be manned at all times. Good in the tropics if large beetles and bugs are anticipated as this method minimises damage to specimens. Not good for abundance samples. Can be difficult to set up. Box – “Heath” and “Skinner” traps both useful as can be packed flat for work in the field. Catch retention reasonable, but a long way from perfect. Bucket – “Robinson” trap most efficient design, but still well short of 100% catch retention. Large traps not very portable, smaller versions for use with actinic tubes more portable.