A study of nocturnal moths

The Entomological Society of Malta has been entrusted with the collection of data for an international event - the First European Moth Nights - being organised by the Lepidopterological Society of Hungary and the Entomological Society of Lucerne in Switzerland.

Professional and amateur entomologists collected or observed nocturnal moths throughout Europe and the results obtained were reported to an organising centre.

The main goal of the event was to establish contacts between moth-collectors in Europe, create a geographically wide-ranging snapshot of moths flying in the same period and draw attention to moths in general, their significant presence in nature and their current protection requirements.

Lepidopterists from 21 countries took part in the event. The highest number of participants came from Germany - 23, including five who collected moths outside the country.

Another 16 were from the Netherlands, 15 from Hungary, 11 each from Spain, Italy, Malta and Great Britain, 10 from Romania and nine from Switzerland. The lepidopterists observed 850 nocturnal Macrolepidoptera species over three days. This amounts to about 31 per cent of the total number of nocturnal Macrolepidoptera species known in Europe.

In Malta, 57 species of nocturnal moths were recorded.

The next European moth nights will be held between July 1 - 3.

http://lepidoptera.fw.hu

www.european-moth-nights.ch.vu