November 2007, Issue 1, pp1-9.

Rebecca Dulieu, Thomas Merckx, Nicholas Paling and Graham Holloway

Using mark-release-recapture to investigate habitat use in a range of common macro-moth species

CWAC E-Journal (2007) Issue 1, pp1-9. [PDF]

 

Abstract

1. Substantial declines have been documented in many of the so called ‘common’ macro-moth species in the UK. One cause of this decline is the intensification of agriculture and, in response to this, Environmental stewardship schemes are now offering the opportunity to restore agricultural habitats to provide landscapes for macro-moths and other wildlife.

2. In this study the habitat use of 11 common macro-moth species were compared using ten portable 12 volt actinic light traps. The abundance of moths found in standard arable field margins and wider field margins, of up to 6m were compared and the effect of a tree being present at the site was investigated.

3. The wider field margins had a higher abundance of macro-moths compared to the standard margins, the presence of a tree had no significant affect on moth abundance. It was also found that sites with high nectar availability had a higher abundance of moths. The dispersal ability of each species was looked at and it was found that moths with a greater wing span were found to be dispersing greater distances.

4. The findings in this study suggest that there is great benefit to increasing the size of arable field margins, and in increasing the abundance of flowers and the plant diversity. This may help to combat the increasing decline of many macro-moth species and could help lesson the impact of climate change on moths by reducing the fragmentation of agro- ecosystems currently found in the UK.

 

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