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INFLUENCE OF METEOROLOGICAL EVENTS, MEASURED IN THE TOWN FOR FLIGHT ACTIVITY OF MOTHS
Lszl Makra , Jnos Pusks , Lszl Nowinszky ** University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary; Berzsenyi Dniel College, Szombathely, Hungary
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Abstract The authors making use of the fortunate circumstances that a principal weather observation station is located in Szombathely (Hungary), where a light-trap observation site was in operation from 1962 to 1970, have studied the number of specimens of the straw-point moth (Rivula sericealis Scop.), which fly in masses into light, in connection with a number of weather events. The authors examined the relation between the catch of moths and the effect of the weather events listed in the section "Present time" (reducing cloudiness, constant cloudiness, growing cloudiness, mist, fog, thunder and lightning, calm rain, calm rain with interruptions, shower of rain, thunderstorm, rain has stopped, showers have stopped, thunderstorms have stopped) on the amount of specimens captured. Our most important result is as follows. Until now, we did not know that decreasing clouds, and thunder and lightning preceding thunderstorms also increase the flight activity. The effect of rain in hindering the catch is well known, but the fact that the hindering effect remains after the rain has stopped is a new finding. We were also able to point out the adverse effect of mist and fog on the collection Key words: light-trap, straw-point moth (Rivula sericealis Scop.), weather elements 1. INTRODUCTION Researchers have examined the influence of the various weather elements on collecting by light-trap all over the world. However, since these studies have been looking into climatic conditions that are basically different from the ones prevailing in Hungary and in many cases not pertaining to the species found in this country, we do not go into a detailed description of these. In Hungary research into the interrelationship between the weather elements and the number of specimens captivated began from the late 1950-ies. Initially, with the stock of collecting data still small, research was aimed primarily at defining the value ranges that could be described as favourable or unfavourable for the flight activity of the different insect orders. In this field, findings of basic importance have been published by Manninger (1948), Wber (1957), later by Jrfs (1979) evaluated by species the influence of meteorological factors on the process of swarming. 2. MATERIAL AND METHODS Making use of the fortunate circumstance that there has been a meteorological main station and, in the years between 1962-1970, there was also a light-trap in continuous operation in Szombathely, we studied the trends in the light trapping of the straw-point moth (Rivula sericealis Scop.), a species flying from spring to autumn and also one that flew to light in the biggest masses at the given place, also in interrelationship with the weather elements not measured regularly anywhere else but at the main station. The light-trap collected 3100 specimens over 945 nights in 9 years. We examined the effect of the weather events listed in the "present time" section on the quantity of the specimens trapped: dwindling cloudiness, unchanged cloudiness, increasing cloudiness, vapour, fog, thunder and lightening, quiet rain, quiet rain with interruptions, shower, stormy rain, rain has stopped, shower has stopped, storm has stopped. All data were collected from the Yearbooks of the Central Meteorological Institute of the Hungarian Meteorological Service. The size of a population will be different at the various observation posts and the modifying factors are not identical either at all the venues and times of light trapping, therefore it is easy to understand that catching the same number of specimens at two different observation posts or at different points of time may stand for varying proportions of the given population. Using relative catch values might solve this problem (Nowinszky, 1994). Relative catch (RC) is the quotient of the number of individuals caught in a given sampling unit (1 hour or 1 night) and the mean values of the number of individuals of the generation counted for the time unit of sampling. If the number of specimens caught corresponds to the average, the relative catch value will be 1.

Corresponding author address: Jnos Pusks, Department of Physical Geography, Berzsenyi Dniel College, H-9701 Szombathely, Krolyi Gspr square 4. Hungary; e-mail: pjanos@deimos.bdtf.hu

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Relative catch values for each generation were calculated from the daily number of straw-point moth (Rivula sericealis Scop.) specimens collected by light-trap. The respective relative catch values were correlated with each value of each weather element, then they were arranged in classes. In each class, we averaged the values of the weather elements and formed three point weighted moving averages from the relative catch data. Then, to reveal any possible connection, we made correlation calculations between the weather elements regarded as independent variables on the one hand and the weighted moving averages of the relative catches on the other. We also calculated the difference of the average of each class from the average value calculated from the sum-total of all the other data. The relative catch values belonging to numerically unmeasurable weather situations (the events of the "present time") were also averaged, then the significance level of their deviation from the average relative catch (expected value) of all the other observations was checked with a T-test. 3. RESULTS The effectiveness of light trapping straw-point moths (Rivula sericealis Scop.) in the context of "present time" weather phenomena in Table 1. Table 1. Light-trap catch of the straw-point moth (Rivula sericealis Scop.) in connection with "present time" weather events at the time of observation Weather events of present time Decreasing cloudiness Unchanged cloudiness Increasing cloudiness Vapour Fog Thunder, lightning Calm rain Calm rain with gaps Shower of rain Thunderstorm After calm rain After thunderstorm After rain Relative catches 1.101 1.062 0.987 0.929 0.743 1.278 0.663 0.791 0.639 0.773 0.995 0.552 0.677 Number of data 1078 789 863 303 38 131 219 72 27 54 28 22 87 Significance level (%) 95

95 95 95 99 95 95 95 95 95

4. DISCUSSION We have managed to reveal the modifying effect on the catch of the so-called "present time" weather phenomena, i.e. those taking place at the time of the observation. We had no knowledge of the fact that diminishing cloudiness as well as thunder and lightening preceding a thunderstorm also enhance flying activity. Information regarding the modifying effect of precipitation has also become more accurate. The role of rain in impeding the flight of insects is well known, but it is new information that this hindering influence make its effect felt even after it stops raining. There is a significant rise in the catch during lightning and thunder preceding a storm, the catch drops by half during the storm and stays low even after the storm is over.

References Jrfs, J., 1979, Forecasting of harmful moths by light-traps (in Hungarian), PhD Thesis. Kecskemt. 127. Manninger, G.A., 1948, Connection between the climate, weather and the harmful animals (in Hungarian), In: Rthly, A., Aujeszky, L., 1948, Agrometeorology. Quick. 424. Nowinszky, L. [ed.], 1994, Light trapping of insects influenced by abiotic facors. Part I. Savaria University Press. 155. Wber, M., 1957, The role of meteorological parameters in life of insects (in Hungarian)., Pcsi Muszaki Szemle. 3: 17-23.