Practical Moth Recording

1. Recording methods2. Field identification skills3. Classification (1 - overview of micromoths)

4. Classification (2 - overview of macromoths)5. Specimen preparation

6. Field session @ Dairy Farm (Wallace Education Ctr)

7. Field session review & quiz8. Data management

NSS 2014 Moth Workshop

Slide 2 Practical Moth Recording, 5 & 6 July 2014

Introduction to Moths

• Diversity• Survival Strategies• Ecological Services• Role in Wildlife Conservation


Moth Diversity


1. Recording Moths

• Lights• Traps• Nets• Baits• Larvae

• Photography• Weather• Keeping Records• Publishing


Lights

MV – mercury vapourActinic / UV – ultra-violetLEDTungsten (incandescent)Halogen


“Traps”Sheet – needs to 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.


Nets

Sweep netHand netMalaise trap


Baits“Sugar”wine ropefruitfaecessynthetic pheromonesothers . . .

Photo: Fritz Geller-Grimm (via Wikipedia)Photo: D.E.Walter (http://homebuggarden.blogspot.hk/2014/06/winters-coming.html)


http://homebuggarden.blogspot.hk/2014/06/winters-coming.html

Moth Larvae

Finding larvaebeating traysweep netleaf rollsleaf minesgalls (stems, twigs, buds)flowers & fruits

Rearing larvaet.l.c. !making notes & taking photos . . .


Photography

digital cameradata storagemacro functionclose focuscontrol of flashbest views to shoot for i.d.

Slide 11 Practical Moth Recording, 5& 6 July 2014

Weather

Light trapping: avoid high 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


Keeping Records

what, (who made the id)sight record, voucher specimen (where kept) or photowhere seen/collectedwhen recorded

kept in notebook or on computer database


Publishing


individual records of note or a species life history;summary of a single recording eventsite or area listschanges in species seen or phenology (long term data), distribution . . .

2. Field Identification of Moths

Wing patternColourAntennaeResting PostureBehaviour


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.


Wing Patterns - areas


• Note the distinctive pattern features in relation to the areas above.

• For clarity, all the possible lines (fascia and streaks) have not been illustrated in the following pages – a streak 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

Wing Patterns – vertical lines

lines crossing the wing: Fasciae1 – basal fascia2 – sub-medial or ante-

medial fascia3 – medial fascia4 – post-medial fascia5 – sub-terminal fasica


12 3 4 5

Wing Patterns - streaks

lines along the wing:Streaks 1 – basal streak2 – medial streak3 – tornal streak4 – apical streak


1 2 3

4

Wing Patterns - spots

spots on the wing 1 – orbicular stigma2 – claviform stigma3 – sub-reniform stigma4 – discal spot, inside

the reniform stigma


1

32

4

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

23

c

Colour

Note the colour(s) of the wing patterns.

• Whilst this is not always diagnostic, it is usually a good guide to a species’ identity.

• Be aware that species may differ between male and female patterns, between wet and dry seasons and have melanic or darkened forms.

• Sometimes colours on the body or ventral wing surface may be diagnostic.


AntennaeNote the form and length of the antenna, • filiform (simple, threadlike)• uni-, bi-, tri- or quadripectinate

(with one ramus per segment, or 2 – 4 rami per segment)

• fasciculateand if there is any distinct basal modification, especially at the scape (base)


Resting Posture

Note how the moth sits: • how are the wings held;• where are the antennae? • how does it position its body and legs?


Behaviour

What is the moth doing?• record flowers visited;• other nutritional sources used; • thermoregulation behaviour; • sexual behaviour;• territorial behaviour.


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.


3. Moth Classification

•Key Lepidoptera characters•Major Families in Asia


CharactersLepidoptera = Greek for scale-winged27 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.


Major Families in Asia• Tineidae• Gracillariidae• Yponomeutidae• Oecophoridae• Gelechiidae• Tortricidae• Pyralidae• Crambidae• Thyrididae

• Zygaenidae• Sesiidae• Sphingidae• Saturniidae• Geometridae• Notodontidae• Erebidae (inc. Arctiinae &

Lymantriinae)• Nolidae• Noctuidae


Practical Moth Recording, 5 & 6 July 2014

source: Mutanen et al., 2010

TineidaeIncludes “Clothes Moths”Will run rather than flyMany are detritivores on animal matter; some subfamilies specialize as fungivores.Small moths, 10 to 20 mm wingspan, mostly dull brownsrough scales on head of adult; haustellum often degenerate.~ 3,000 named spp. globally.close relatives include the Bagworms - Psychidae


GracillariidaeLeaf Miners (blotch and blister mines) as larvae.Adults with very long antennae, smooth scales on head; small or v. small, w/s 7 - 20 mm; often very colourful, reds, yellows dominant. V.long h/w fringes.

Adults rest with front and mid legs pushing front of body up at 30° from horizontal with tip of abdomen still touching substrate, wings tightly wrapped; antennae twirled prior to settling down.


Yponomeutidae (s.l.)

Small Ermine Mothsinc. Attevidae, PlutellidaeMany species are communial webspinners as larvae.Very small to fairly small moths, 8 – 25mm w/s; antennae around ½ f/w length.Some rest with head down and body raised. Proboscis well developed, not scaled at base


OecophoridaeA mixed bag – several subfamilies. Head smooth scaled. Detritivores, leaf miners, stem borersVery small to quite large moths (8 – 40 mm w/s), mostly small species.Full hindwing, many species quite stout for “microleps”.Stathmopodidae (small, often brightly coloured) have whorls of bristles on legs, hindlegs held outwards and upwards at around 45 – 60° from body; possibly some diurnal spp.


GelechiidaeBorers / Twirlers3rd segment of labial palp usually long, narrow and upturned or recurved; h/w usually broad, trapezoidal, the termen sinuous, with a acutely produced apex.Mostly dull coloured and mottled, a few bright species.Small to fairly small moths, 10 – 20 mm w/s.


Bell MothsLabial palps porrect, normally small. Head roughly scaled. Hindwings broad, rounded.Leaf-rollers, fruit & seed borers, gall formersSmall to fairly small moths 10 – 25 mm w/sSome pest species successfully controlled with pheromone traps.

Tortricidae


PyralidaeKnot-horns, Meal Moths . . . .Tympanal organ at base of abdomen (also in Crambidae - tympanal shape determines group).Six subfamilies, mostly detritivores; includes wax moth (Galleria mellonella), Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella). Antennae on Phycitinae have distinctive “knot” near base and rest tighly involute.Small to quite large moths (10 – 40 mm w/s)


Leaf-rollers16 subfamilies – diverse!Small to quite large moths (10 – 50 mm w/s). Often colourful; rest almost flat to quite raised at the head, wings widespread in most subfamilies, involute in Crambidae and Schoenobiinae; antennae held along top of abdomen (also in Pyralidae).Larvae of Acentropinae (=Nymphulinae) are aquatic.

Crambidae


Thyrididae

Tropical Leaf Moths“sitting up” postureintricate patterns, often with hyaline patches,leaf roll larval shelters


Burnet Mothssmall to large moths, often brightly coloured. Poisonous, capable of making HCN. Probably involved as models for many other moths in Batesian mimicry rings, as well as in Müllerian mimicry rings.Many species are diurnal.Becoming significant in the trade of Lepidoptera specimens.


Zygaenidae

Sesiidae

Clearwing Mothssuperb mimics of wasps and bees.almost exclusively diurnal, sometimes seen at light.usually recorded by pheromone trapping using mixtures of long carbon chain acetates (increasingly used in Asia, especially Japan and Vietnam)


photo credit: Chris Ng (HK Wildlife Net)photo credit: Chris Ng (HK Wildlife Net)

Intermission

TEA BREAK

30 minutes23:11


SphingidaeHawk Moths, Sphinx Moths

Haustellum well developed (Sphinginae, Macroglossinae),Very capable fliers, many can hover; adult body form typically v-deltoidLarvae with “caudal horn” on dorsal surface of last abdominal segment (sometimes rudimentary)Medium to large moths (35 –140 mm), around 1,300 species globally.


SaturniidaeEmperor Moths, Atlas Moths, Moon Moths

No wing coupling mechanism; haustellum absent or rudimetary; maxillary palps vestigial; labial palps reduced or very reduced.Large to very large moths – 80 to 300 mm w/s about 1,300 species globally


GeometridaeLooper Moths, Emeralds, Carpets, Waves . . . .Larvae usually have only one pair of prolegs + anal claspersAdults with tympanic handle (“ansa”) curving over abdominal tympanumGenerally slender bodied with broad wings, well suited to sheltered vegetation, especially forest. Small to large moths (10 – 100 mm w/s)Subfamilies often niche specific


Noctuoideawithin S.E.AsiaNotodontidaeErebidae

(includingLymantriinaeArctiinae and many of the “old” Catocalinae of Noctuidae)

NolidaeEuteliidaeNoctuidae


source: Zahiri et al., 2012. Systematic Entomology 37: 102–124

A B

C D

E F

NotodontidaeProminent MothsMetathoracic tympanum (Noctuoidea character), with “bulla” (a teardrop shaped swelling) above; tips of tibial spurs serratedDorsal edge of f/w often with tooth-like projections. Most species highly cryptic.Larvae feed on shrubs and trees.Fairly small to large moths (25 – 120 mm w/s)about 3,000 species globally.


ErebidaeOwlet Moths, Snout Moths, Fanfoots, Underwing Moths . . .highly diverse family, containing many subfamilies.Hindwing with quadrifine cubital vein pattern, counter-tympanal hood on abdomen is post-spiracular or absentSmall to large moths (8 – 130 mm w/s in Asia, up to 300 mm in Americas)


Erebidae (Lymantriinae)

Tussock MothsHindwing with quadrifine cubital vein pattern, counter-tympanal hood on abdomen is pre-spiracular haustellum vestigiallarvae with group of 4 prominent scale tussocks on thorax & abdomen, often urticating; some spp are forest defoliators


Erebidae (Arctiinae)


Tiger, Footmen & Wasp (Handmaiden) MothsAdults hindwing with quadrifine cubital vein pattern, counter-tympanal hood on abdomen is pre-spiracular, with a tymbal organ on metepisternum (just above hindleg), haustellum usually developed. Many are diurnal.Larvae have two subventral setae (stiff hairs) on the meso- and metathorax, often densly hairy, Lithosiini are lichenivorous

NolidaeNycteolines, bollworms. . .defined by boat shaped cocoon and features of the adult male genitalia (no field characters for adults); many species with raised tufts of wing scales and pupae capable of sound productionDiverse forms between subfamilies, within subfamilies fairly similar. Some notable pest species


Noctuidae

Armyworms, Wainscots, Brocades, Quakers, Sharks, Underwings, Rustics, Plusias. . .

H/w Cubital vein in adults appears trifine.Mainly open habitat species, often associated with monocotyledons, and considered pests; some notable migrant species


classification – key references• Mutanen, M., Wahlberg, N. & Kaila, L., 2010. Comprehensive gene and taxon

coverage elucidates radiation patterns in moths and butterflies. Proc. R. Soc. B. doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.0392.

• van Nieukerken et al., 2011. Order Lepidoptera. Zootaxa 3148: 212-221. [pdf]

• Regier, J. C. et al., 2013. A Large-Scale, Higher-Level, Molecular Phylogenetic Study of the Insect Order Lepidoptera (Moths and Butterflies). PLoS ONE 8(3): e58568. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0058568.

• Zahiri, R., et al., 2013. Relationships among the basal lineages of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea) based on eight gene regions. Zoologica Scripta.doi: 10.1111/zsc.12022.

• Zahiri, R., et al., 2011. A new molecular phylogeny offers hope for a stable family-level classification of the Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera). Zoologica Scripta, 40: 158–173.

• Zahiri, R. et al., 2012. Molecular phylogenetics of Erebidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuoidea). Systematic Entomology 37: 102–124. [pdf]


http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/277/1695/2839.full

http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/zt03148p221.pdf




http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0058568

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Reza_Zahiri/publication/236874388_Relationships_among_the_basal_lineages_of_Noctuidae_(Lepidoptera_Noctuoidea)_based_on_eight_gene_regions/file/e0b4951a4bbac17bc1.pdf?origin=publication_detail

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Reza_Zahiri/publication/236874388_Relationships_among_the_basal_lineages_of_Noctuidae_(Lepidoptera_Noctuoidea)_based_on_eight_gene_regions/file/e0b4951a4bbac17bc1.pdf?origin=publication_detail

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Reza_Zahiri/publication/227665500_A_new_molecular_phylogeny_offers_hope_for_a_stable_family_level_classification_of_the_Noctuoidea_%28Lepidoptera%29/file/9fcfd505b35cd77e0e.pdf?origin=publication_detail






http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Reza_Zahiri/publication/229072220_Molecular_phylogenetics_of_Erebidae_%28Lepidoptera_Noctuoidea%29/file/d912f501ffab621e32.pdf?origin=publication_detail




classification – more key references• Sihvonen, P., et al., 2011. Comprehensive molecular sampling yields a robust

phylogeny for geometrid moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). PLoS ONE 6(6): e20356. - doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0020356

• Sohn, J.-C., et al., 2013. A molecular phylogeny for Yponomeutoidea (Insecta, Lepidoptera, Ditrysia) and its implications for classification, biogeography and the evolution of host plant use. PLoS ONE 8(1): e55066. - doi:10.1371/ journal. pone.0055066

• Regier, J.C., et al., 2012. A molecular phylogeny for the leaf-roller moths (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and its implications for classification and life history evolution. PLoS ONE 7(4): e35574. - doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0035574

• Holloway, J.D., 1986. Moths of Borneo part 1. Malayan Nature Journal 40: 1-166.• Holloway, J.D., 2011. Moths of Borneo part 2. Malayan Nature Journal 63: 1-548.• Scoble, M.J., 1992. The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and Diversity. The Natural

History Museum, London.


http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0020356



web resources(some of them, anyway!)

I-Naturalist (Lepidoptera; Hong Kong Moths);BOLD Systems Taxonomy Browser;Sphingidae of S.E.Asia / Eastern Palaearctic;Global databases: Gelechioidea, Tortricidae, Hampson

“Noctuidae”, Sphingidae, Gracillariidae, Tineidae, Pyraloidea; NHM LepIndex

Moths of Borneo, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Asia;Flickr moth groups – HK, Taiwan, Borneo, India ;India Biodiversity (Moths); Facebook (Mothing & Moth Watching, Moth Maniacs, ALCG,

Singapore, India, Sri Lanka.)

Slide 56 Practical Moth Recording, 5& 6 July 2014

http://www.inaturalist.org/

http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47157-Lepidoptera

http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/hong-kong-moths

http://www.inaturalist.org/projects/hong-kong-moths

http://www.boldsystems.org/index.php/Taxbrowser_Taxonpage?taxid=113

https://sphin-sea.unibas.ch/SphinSEA/SphinSEA_speclist.htm



http://tpittaway.tripod.com/china/china.htm

http://mississippientomologicalmuseum.org.msstate.edu/Researchtaxapages/Lepidoptera/GelechioideaFramework.htm

http://www.tortricidae.com/

http://snapper.bio.umass.edu/kunkel/Moths/hampson/index.html

http://snapper.bio.umass.edu/kunkel/Moths/hampson/index.html

http://sphingidae.myspecies.info/

http://www.gracillariidae.net/

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/tineidae/index.html

http://globiz.pyraloidea.org/

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/lepindex/

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/research/projects/lepindex/

http://www.mothsofborneo.com/

http://www.jpmoth.org/

http://www.hkmoths.com/

http://163.17.36.1/moth/moth/frame.html

http://www.jpmoth.org/~dmoth/Digital_Moths_of_Asia/Moths%20of%20Asia%20frame_new.html

https://www.flickr.com/groups/hongkongmoths/

https://www.flickr.com/groups/moth/

https://www.flickr.com/groups/1073122@N24/

https://www.flickr.com/groups/mothsofindia/

http://indiabiodiversity.org/group/indianmoths/show

https://www.facebook.com/groups/137219092972521/


https://www.facebook.com/groups/mothmaniacs/

https://www.facebook.com/Asian.Moths.and.Butterflies?ref=hl&ref_type=bookmark

https://www.facebook.com/groups/butterflysm/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/IndianMoths/


5. Preparing Voucher Specimens


In the field

• Fresh specimens are easier to identify;• In hot weather use a “cold bag” to retain specimens for

later inspection / preparation;• If retaining only difficult to identify species, may be

possible to set specimens in-situ (especially micros);• Take sufficient specimen pots of varying sizes;• Consider papering specimens;• Killing methods for the field – ammonia, ethyl acetate,

pinching.


PaperingFor: • Saves storage space later;• Quick in the field;• Less to carry back to the lab (less pots and no cold bag!)Against:• Makes i/d difficult;• Specimens may be difficult to curate if photos needed;• Extra pre-field preparation time;• Extra handling.


PinningLarger moth specimens (roughly > 15 mm wingspan) - the mid-thorax, vertically in both axes of the horizontal plane. This prevents damage to the wing muscles that is likely to hinder setting.Smaller moth specimens - the mid-thorax, (sometimes the post-thorax). Laterally perpendicular, though front-back angle is ~10-20° from perpendicular, angled towards the front below the body.Use a stereoscopic microscope for pinning small specimens (<8-10 mm).


Set Specimens

• Formal setting only really required for illustrative purposes, usually to confirm an identification.

• Storage of set specimens is space consuming and expensive.

• Is pinning sufficient?


Small MothsUsually sufficient to partially “blow” spread the wings of a pinned micro-moth.Can use a plastazote sheet in a small plastic box as a pinning substrate. These can be labeled for each recording event and processed later in the lab if formal setting is required.See also the paper by Landry & Landry (1994).Micro-moths should be double staged to prevent damage to the specimen when being handled.


Data Labels IAbsolutely essential for each specimen!!Use permanent ink on thin card. Long term effectiveness of laser printers not yet proven.

Site label:COUNTRY, province / state / county;Location / site name, UTM grid ref. or lat./long.;recording date, method, recorder (leg. ………); habitat and altitude also useful.


Data Labels IIDetermination label:Genus species; (scientific name only is required)Species author;Higher tax.placement (Family, subfamily, tribe);Determiner (det. ………), date of determination.

Other labels:• Type specimens (Holotype, Allotype, Paratype)• Photography labels• Collection accession labels


Curation & StorageTropical weather is problematic as high humidity gives fungi

and small insects a good chance of destroying any curated animal specimen.

Storage thus must be in a controlled environment – “pest-proof” (sealed); low humidity (<50% r.h.) and pest repelling materials added (e.g. camphor, naphthalene).

Specimens of uncertain origin should be treated with “quarantine” conditions, kept apart from a main collection in a freezer or with para-dichloro-benzene [PDB] for at least several weeks to kill any pests or pathogens.


“Type” specimensHolotype – the specimen chosen to be

representative of the species; should be a male.Allotype – female equivalent of the holotype.Paratype – the remaining specimens from the

original series used to describe the species.Topotype – a specimen from the recording location

of the original holotype.Lectotype – subsequently designated where

holotype, allotype or paratypes have not been designated by the original author.


Voucher Specimens – key references

• Dickson, R., 1976. A Lepidopterist’s Handbook. The Amateur Entomologist 13. (3rd edition published in 2014)

• May & White, 2006. Preparing and Maintaining a Collection of Butterflies and Moths. Amateur Entomologists’ Society, London.

• Landry, J-F. & Landry, B., 1994. A technique for setting and mounting microlepidoptera. Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 48: 205-227.


Practical Moth Recording

Environment

Transcript of Practical Moth Recording