Moonlight The effect of light Beginners' guide to the The phase of the moon affects the Moths are well known for their macro-moths of Otago number and type of moths that are attraction to light. Lights come in flying. Moths tend to be more different colours. The different colours abundant on the new moon (when are related to the wavelength of the there is no moon light) and less on the light. Longer wavelengths look Why are moths important? full moon. To fairly compare catches orange/red. Shorter wavelengths look We know relatively little about the we need to take into account the moon blue/violet. Moths can see further into distribution of moths across New phase. For a small experiment we can the short (Ultra-Violet) wavelengths Moths play an important role in the Zealand, moth ecology or the potential set the moth traps on the same night than we can. ecosystem, as food for native birds and impacts of artificial light on moth or in the same moon phase. For a wide- pollinators for plants. communities. ranging or long-term study we need to There are all sorts of artificial lights record the moon phase (or work it out around our houses, schools and streets. Some give off yellow/orange Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) are What determines which later) to take it into account using light like classic street lights. Newer the third largest group of insects in New moths are where? statistics. Zealand with over 2000 known species. LED street lights come in a range of Most New Zealand moths are found We can test the effect of the moon colours including white-blue. nowhere else in the world (92% phase by trapping in the same place Each moth species has specific food Recent evidence from overseas endemic). Otago is a hotspot for moth every few days over the cycle of moon and environmental requirements that suggests that type and amount of species within New Zealand. phases. it needs to survive. Important artificial light affect the relative environmental factors for moths are abundances of moths. Their largely nocturnal behaviour food-plants, nectar sources means moths are often overlooked, but temperature, humidity, and wind they make great subjects for speed. environmental monitoring. Their short life-cycle and good mobility mean their We can use the information about the distributions often show clear environment where we find moths to geographic relationships with better understand the ecology of measurable environmental factors. moths. Once we understand the relationship between the species’ Despite the many unique and intriguing presence and the environment we can moth species in New Zealand, we have start to make predictions about how only a small number of professional moths will be affected by climate lepidopterists. change. A suggested experiment How to set up a Heath Moth trap A scientific experiment needs: 1. Slot the four sides together and slide them on to the base. 1. A QUESTION (e.g, what effect does an orange street light have on the moth 2. Push the small funnel into the community?) centre hole in the base. This stops 2. A TREATMENT designed to test the question, e.g. a trap under a bright street water collecting in the trap light. 3. Fit the lid over the trap. 3. A CONTROL for anything that might affect the results – aside from the one 4. Carefully place six to eight egg thing we want to test. The treatment and control should be as similar as cartons in the trap. Make sure possible in every way – EXCEPT the thing that we want to test, e.g. a moth trap they overlap but do not cover the under a street light and another one away from the light, but the same in every small funnel. These help the other way (see factors that might affect moths). moths settle calmly in the trap. 4. A RESPONSE that can be COUNTED or MEASURED to quantify the difference 5. Place the large funnel in the top of between the treatment and the control, e.g. the number of moth species or the the trap. number of individual moths of each species. 6. Open out the fins of the vane unit Moths vs Butterflies 5. REPLICATION allows you to show that the effect of the treatment is real and and slide the clip on to hold them not down to chance differences between the treatment and the control. Small in place. differences need more replication to be detectable. 7. Place the vane unit in the top of the funnel. Moths and butterflies have three main 8. Clip the Solar unit onto the trap. body parts: the head, thorax and 9. Attach the RED (positive) contact abdomen. The two pairs of wings and to the 12V battery, followed by six legs are attached to the thorax. the BLACK (negative) contact. 10. Cover the Solar unit completely Moths and butterflies are all and slowly count to 30. The Lepidoptera. Although most butterflies ACTINIC bulb should glow fly during the day so do a lot of moths. white/blue. Butterflies tend to be more brightly 11. Place the trap in your chosen coloured, but not always – some moths location. The solar cell will ensure are very brightly coloured. Butterflies the trap bulb switches on at dusk have clubbed antennae, whereas and off at dawn. moths have feathery or simple 12. Come back in the morning and antennae. check the trap. Recording Cloud Cover: Making a collection environmental data UNSURE |CLEAR| MOSTLY CLEAR | To make a reference collection: A reference collection makes it easier to FOG CLOUDY | MOSTLY CLOUDY | OVERCAST Once you have your moths, put them identify the different species and study Date: in a cool place or in the fridge. They them. Precipitation on trap night: will calm down so you can look at them Location: UNSURE | NONE |DRIZZLE | LIGHT To catalogue species: It’s important to more easily. If you are confident that RAIN | MODERATE RAIN | HEAVY RAIN ensure that when we talk to other Region code: DN | OL | SL many are the same species, you can entomologists we can check we are all Air temperature (°C) count them and release most of them. Latitude: calling the same species the same Ave.: Min.: Max.: Keep a couple of each species and put name. Sometimes two species look Longitude: the rest on some vegetation close to very similar and we need a specimen to Relative humidity (%) where you trapped them. be sure of the species identity. Other Ave.: Min.: Max.: We have to kill moths to make a times species are very variable and two Wind Speed (km/h) collection so we do it as quickly and individuals of the same species may Ave.: Min.: Max.: painlessly as possible. look very different. Therefore we need a range of specimens to know the Surrounding vegetation: Put the moths in the freezer for a variability of a species. NON-IRRIGATED PASTURE | PASTURE | couple of hours; they will go to sleep SCHOOL FIELD | NATIVE GRASSLAND | and then die peacefully. Moths breed To compare variation traits: To COASTAL | RIVERSIDE | fast so as long as you don’t trap for understand the ecology and evolution EXOTIC GARDEN | NATIVE GARDEN | more than a few nights in a row in the of species we often need to study the SHRUBLAND | FOREST same place you won’t impact the local variation between individuals within a moth population. species and between closely related Distance to nearest shrub/tree (m): species. 0–5 | 6–10 | 11–20 | 21–50 Entomologists collect samples for a Altitude: Slope: variety of reasons: To detect changes over time: Height of surrounding canopy (m): Sometimes we don’t know what will be Aspect: 0–0.3 |0.3–1 | 1–2 | 2–5 | 5–12 | 12+ To describe and classify new species: important in the future. Historical FLAT | N | NE | E | SE | S | SW | W | Every new species requires the collections allow entomologists to NW designation of a type specimen. The compare species traits over time and Sunset: Sunrise: name of the species is hinged on the detect the effect of environmental type specimen. Future revisions and change or predict future changes Moon Phase: identifications can then be compared with this specimen. Logging the data ensures we get the Other light source: most information from a specimen. Distance to artificial light source: Labelling the samples Further information What does that word mean? Lepidoptera: Moths and butterflies The label is what makes the moth a This guide contains only the most Endemic: Found only in that place specimen. All labels need: common larger moths in the Otago Ecosystem: all biological and physical region; there are many more moths. If What: A unique code that refers to just processes interacting in an area you find a moth that is not on this this one specimen. Include the species Nocturnal: Happens at night guide it may be rare, sparse name if you know it and the name of Community: A group of different (widespread but never very numerous), the person who identified it. species in an area a range extension (not normally in the Where: The location where the Otago region), a ‘micro-moth’ or a new Acknowledgements specimen was trapped. By convention species (there are many moth species a region code (see map), in New Zealand still to be properly The “Shedding Light on the Night” project is a 4. Place a piece of tracing paper over described and named). partnership between Landcare Research, the Botany When: The collection date, by the wings and pin the paper (not and Geography Departments of the University of the wings) in place.