Moonlight The effect of light A suggested experiment How to set up a Recording Cloud Cover: Making a collection Labelling the samples Further information What does that UNSURE |CLEAR| MOSTLY CLEAR | To make a reference collection: A Heath Moth trap environmental data word mean? Beginners' guide to the FOG CLOUDY | MOSTLY CLOUDY | reference collection makes it easier to identify the different species and study OVERCAST Once you have your moths, put them The phase of the moon affects the Moths are well known for their A scientific experiment needs: 1. Slot the four sides together and Date: The label is what makes the moth a This guide contains only the most Lepidoptera: Moths and butterflies macro-moths of Otago in a cool place or in the fridge. They them. number and type of moths that are attraction to light. Lights come in slide them on to the base. Precipitation on trap night: specimen. All labels need: common larger moths in the Otago Endemic: Found only in that place will calm down so you can look at them flying. Moths tend to be more different colours. The different colours 1. A QUESTION (e.g, what effect does an orange street light have on the moth 2. Push the small funnel into the Location: UNSURE | NONE |DRIZZLE | LIGHT To catalogue species: It’s important to region; there are many more moths. If Ecosystem: all biological and physical more easily. If you are confident that What: A unique code that refers to just abundant on the new moon (when are related to the wavelength of the community?) centre hole in the base. This stops RAIN | MODERATE RAIN | HEAVY RAIN ensure that when we talk to other you find a moth that is not on this processes interacting in an area Region code: DN | OL | SL many are the same species, you can this one specimen. Include the species there is no moon light) and less on the light. Longer wavelengths look 2. A TREATMENT designed to test the question, e.g. a trap under a bright street water collecting in the trap entomologists we can check we are all guide it may be rare, sparse Nocturnal: Happens at night Air temperature (°C) count them and release most of them. name if you know it and the name of Why are moths important? full moon. To fairly compare catches orange/red. Shorter wavelengths look light. 3. Fit the lid over the trap. Latitude: calling the same species the same (widespread but never very numerous), Community: A group of different We know relatively little about the Keep a couple of each species and put the person who identified it. we need to take into account the moon blue/violet. Moths can see further into 3. A CONTROL for anything that might affect the results – aside from the one 4. Carefully place six to eight egg Ave.: Min.: Max.: name. Sometimes two species look a range extension (not normally in the species in an area distribution of moths across New the rest on some vegetation close to phase. For a small experiment we can the short (Ultra-Violet) wavelengths thing we want to test. The treatment and control should be as similar as cartons in the trap. Make sure Longitude: very similar and we need a specimen to Where: The location where the Otago region), a ‘micro-moth’ or a new Relative humidity (%) where you trapped them. Acknowledgements Moths play an important role in the Zealand, moth ecology or the potential set the moth traps on the same night than we can. possible in every way – EXCEPT the thing that we want to test, e.g. a moth trap they overlap but do not cover the be sure of the species identity. Other species (there are many moth species Ave.: Min.: Max.: specimen was trapped. By convention ecosystem, as food for native birds and impacts of artificial light on moth under a street light and another one away from the light, but the same in every small funnel. These help the in New Zealand still to be properly or in the same moon phase. For a wide- We have to kill moths to make a times species are very variable and two a region code (see map), The “Shedding Light on the Night” project is a pollinators for plants. communities. There are all sorts of artificial lights other way (see factors that might affect moths). 4. Place a piece of tracing paper over described and named). partnership between Landcare Research, the Botany ranging or long-term study we need to moths settle calmly in the trap. Wind Speed (km/h) collection so we do it as quickly and individuals of the same species may the wings and pin the paper (not and Geography Departments of the University of record the moon phase (or work it out around our houses, schools and 4. A RESPONSE that can be COUNTED or MEASURED to quantify the difference 5. Place the large funnel in the top of look very different. Therefore we need When: The collection date, by Ave.: Min.: Max.: painlessly as possible. Otago, Orokonui Ecosanctuary, and a collection of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) are streets. Some give off yellow/orange between the treatment and the control, e.g. the number of moth species or the the wings) in place. Take a photo and post on Facebook What determines which later) to take it into account using the trap. a range of specimens to know the convention this is the day the trap was Otago schools. “Shedding Light on the Night” is funded light like classic street lights. Newer 5. Place the moth somewhere cool, MothNet group and ask for help. the third largest group of insects in New moths are where? statistics. number of individual moths of each species. 6. Open out the fins of the vane unit Surrounding vegetation: Put the moths in the freezer for a variability of a species. set, not the following morning. by The Curious Minds Participatory Science Platform – Zealand with over 2000 known species. LED street lights come in a range of 5. REPLICATION allows you to show that the effect of the treatment is real and Moths vs Butterflies NON-IRRIGATED PASTURE | PASTURE | dark and dry and away from live Otago Pilot. and slide the clip on to hold them couple of hours; they will go to sleep Facebook/MothNetNZ Who: The name of collector. insects. Most New Zealand moths are found We can test the effect of the moon colours including white-blue. not down to chance differences between the treatment and the control. Small in place. SCHOOL FIELD | NATIVE GRASSLAND | and then die peacefully. Moths breed To compare variation traits: To The “Beginners’ Guide to the Macro-Moths of Otago” nowhere else in the world (92% phase by trapping in the same place differences need more replication to be detectable. COASTAL | RIVERSIDE | understand the ecology and evolution 6. Depending on the moisture in the Take a photo and post the photo on was produced by Landcare Research for the “Shedding Each moth species has specific food 7. Place the vane unit in the top of fast so as long as you don’t trap for Recent evidence from overseas of species we often need to study the air, it may take 1–3 weeks for the Light on the Night” project. The overall text, content, endemic). Otago is a hotspot for moth every few days over the cycle of moon the funnel. EXOTIC GARDEN | NATIVE GARDEN | more than a few nights in a row in the the NatureWatchNZ MothNet project. and design, by Drs Barbara Anderson and Robert and environmental requirements that suggests that type and amount of Moths and butterflies have three main species within New Zealand. phases. variation between individuals within a Pinning wings to completely dry in place. Hoare, are part of the ongoing research into the 8. Clip the Solar unit onto the trap. body parts: the head, thorax and SHRUBLAND | FOREST same place you won’t impact the local it needs to survive. Important artificial light affect the relative ecology, distributions, and ecological interactions of species and between closely related Check them regularly. NatureWatch.org.nz/project/MothNet environmental factors for moths are 9. Attach the RED (positive) contact abdomen. The two pairs of wings and moth population. Lepidoptera in the Otago region included in the abundances of moths. Distance to nearest shrub/tree (m): species. Their largely nocturnal behaviour to the 12V battery, followed by Check the Landcare Research online Coastal, Alpine and Montane Biotic Interactions food-plants, nectar sources six legs are attached to the thorax. 0–5 | 6–10 | 11–20 | 21–50 means moths are often overlooked, but the BLACK (negative) contact. Entomologists collect samples for a 1. Use special stainless steel insect research programme. The moth illustrations are by temperature, humidity, and wind Altitude: Slope: To detect changes over time: guide to larger moths of New Zealand Birgit Rhode, Landcare Research, based on specimens they make great subjects for 10. Cover the Solar unit completely Moths and butterflies are all variety of reasons: pins. Larger moths need a size 3 pin. speed. Height of surrounding canopy (m): Sometimes we don’t know what will be www.landcareresearch.co.nz/resource in the NZAC. Line drawings are by Lily Burrows. We environmental monitoring. Their short 2. Gently run the pin through the would like to thank Brian Patrick for help in compiling and slowly count to 30. The Lepidoptera. Although most butterflies Aspect: 0–0.3 |0.3–1 | 1–2 | 2–5 | 5–12 | 12+ s/identification/animals/large-moths To describe and classify new species: important in the future.