László Nowinszky

Light-Trap Catch of the Harmful Moths Depending of Moonlight in North Carolina and Nebraska States of USA

The present study discusses the light trapping of harmful insects depending on the moonlight, its polarized percentage, and the moon phases. The trapping data were taken from light traps of North Carolina and Nebraska States of USA. We examined five species. The maximum individual number of species was collected at new moon or near the first quarter and last quarter. The farmers can use our results to forecast their plant protecting works.

The growing abundance of Helicoverpa armigera in Hungary and its areal shift estimation

The invasive Cotton Bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera Hübner, Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has become a serious pest of several agricultural plants since its first mass occurrence in Hungary (1993). During the decades of the species’ presence in the Carpathian Basin, a remarkable fluctuation was detected in its abundance and flight phenology. We analysed long term light trap records and meteorological data to identify the possible factors behind these fluctuations. This study presents an overview of the areal dispersion and the rate of accumulation and flight phenology of this invasive pest, from its first Hungarian mass occurrence until the present, focusing on the influence of climatic factors on the Hungarian distribution of H. armigera. According to our estimation, this pest occupied 94% of the area of Hungary within eight years. There were significant differences in pest pressure by regions, corroborated by the average number of trapped specimens and the regression coefficients. Fluctuations of specimen numbers in the different years are clearly visible in the flight phenology diagrams, which depend on the rate of the growing abundance. The results indicate that abiotic elements may also play a significant role in the areal dispersion of this important invasive insect.

Relationship between UV-B radiation of the sun and the light trapping of the European Corn Borer (Ostrinia Nubilalis Hbn.)

Biological systems are extremely sensitive to changes in ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earths surface. Atmospheric ozone absorbs considerable part of the UV radiation coming from the sun and harmful for biosphere so only a very small part of it can reach the Earths surface; thus, organisms adapted to that intensity. The light-trap success of European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.) was examined at those nights when during the previous day the UVB radiation had different intensity. UVB data used for examination come from measurements in the Keszthely observatory of the Hungarian Meteorological Service by Robertson-Berger UV-Biometers. The light-trap catch data of European corn borer originated from the national light-trap network between 1994-1998. Relative catch (RC) values were calculated from the daily data of UVB radiation relating to the summer half-year. The daily data were divided with the weighted average values of previous, actual and following ten days. We calculated RC values from daily light-trap results of European corn borer for all observing stations and swarming times. Our results prove light-trap catch is low if the values of UVB radiation are significantly lower considering the average.

Changing of flight phenology and ecotype expansion of the European corn borer ( Ostrinia nubilalis Hbn.) in Hungary

The studies aimed to acquire the widest possible information on the annual flight in Hungary of the European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis Hubner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The investigations used biomathematical (Part 1) and graphical (Part 2) evaluation to document changes in the individual population number.The study was conducted in Hungary using ECB moth capture records from the Plant Protection Information System black light trap system (1991–2004). We have drawn conclusions on the appearance of annual flights and the tendency of alterations in flight direction by means of light trap results in four different areas in Hungary. We calculated the flight peak quotients, the individual population numbers of the second flight peak, the distinctions of individual numbers of two flight peaks in this part.As previously published, alterations in flight direction of ECB flights began at different times in Hungary. In the current study, a gradual disappearance of the univoltine ecotype and gradual appear...

Light-Trap Catch of Insects in Connection with Environmental Factors

This chapter deals with the connection between the light-trap collection of insects and the environmental factors that influence the trapping. These factors are as follows: the solar activity and its effects on the Earth (solar activity featured by Q-Index and the 2800 MHz radio flux, ionospheric storms and atmospheric radio noises, the interplanetary magnetic field sector boundaries, UV-B radiation of the Sun and geomagnetic indices), the moon phases and the polarized moonlight, the weather (macrosynoptic weather situations, weather fronts and air masses, weather events, weather elements), and air pollutants. The presented results show that these all modify the volume of captured insects.

The Relationship between Polarized Moonlight and the Number of Pest Microlepidoptera Specimens Caught in Pheromone Traps

Abstract Pheromone traps were deployed in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County (Hungary) between 1982 and 1988, in 1990 and also between 1993 and 2013. These traps attracted 8 Microlepidoptera species: Phyllonorycter blancardella, P. corylifoliella, Anarsia lineatella, Eupoecilia ambiguella, Lobesia botrana, Grapholita funebrana, G. molesta and Cydia pomonella. We examined the trapping data of these species in the context of lunar phases and polarized moonlight. Catches of the European Vine Moth (Lobesia botrana) and the Codling Moth (Cydia pomonella) were higher in the First Quarter, whereas catches of Peach Twig Borer (Anarsia lineatella), Vine Moth (Eupoecilia ambiguella), Plum Fruit Moth (Grapholita funebrana) and Oriental Fruit Moth (Grapholita molesta) were larger in the Last Quarter. Catches of the other two species, the Spotted Tentiform Leafminer (Phyllonorycter blancardella) and Hawthorn Red Midget Moth (P. corylifoliella), were higher in both the First and Last Quarters. When using pheromone traps, insects do not fly to a light source, so moonlight does not modify either the catching distance or flight activity. However, at high levels of polarized moonlight, pheromone trap catches will increase, as in the case of light-trap catches. The results are comprehensible when one considers that the target species can fly both during the daytime and also at night.

Sex Ratio Analysis of Some Macrolepidoptera Species Collected by Hungarian Forestry Light Traps

Abstract We analysed the sex ratio of 32 macrolepidopteran species caught by Hungarian forestry light traps. That the ratio of males and females collected by light trap varies by species has been known for decades; however, the sex ratio found in the natural population is not known. All 32 species were processed separately, but by the same method. Both males and females were counted throughout the whole swarming. We calculated these figures and inspected the difference in the level of significance with the χ2 test. For each swarming we calculated the percentage of males and females. We also calculated the values of the variation coefficients, which express the deviations in average percentages. Males make up the majority of the moths captured in the trap; this result was mirrored by 29 of the 32 species investigated. One of the exceptions was the Pelosia muscerda Hfn. where we observed a male to female ratio that was equal. In addition to that Watsoniana cultraria Fabr. is the only one species captured by light traps that showed a significant female majority. Our results confirm that the majority of moths captured in traps are males. However, the proportion of males and females of each species, and even within the same species, tended to differ greatly with each swarming. Yet, it must be noted that these results speak only for those specimens captured by light traps and cannot be related directly to the actual sex ratio of populations living in the natural environment Kivonat A magyar erdészeti fénycsapdák által gyűjtött néhány macrolepidoptera faj ivararányának elemzése. Évtizedek óta ismert, hogy fénycsapdával gyűjtött hímek és nőstények aránya fajonként változik. Nem ismert azonban, hogy milyen a nemek aránya a természetes populációban. 32 fénycsapdával gyűjtött Macrolepidoptera faj hím és nőstény arányát elemeztük. Minden fajt kiilön- külön dolgoztunk fel. de azonos módszerrel. Mind a hímeket, mind nőstényeket megszámoltuk egész rajzás során. Ezeket összeadtuk és az eltérések sziguiftkancia szintjét χ2 próbával ellenőriztük. Kiszámítottuk a variációs koefficiens éltékeket is. amelyek az eltéréseket az átlag százalékában fejezi ki. Megállapítottuk, hogy a vizsgált 32 fajból 29 rajzásban magasabb volt a befogott hímek száma, mint a nőstényeké. Kivétel volt a hamvas zuzmószövő (Pelosia nmscerda Hfn.), amelynél a hím és nőstény arány egyenlő és egyetlen faj bükkfa sarlósszövő (Watsomana cultraria Fabr.), amelynél a nőstények voltak többségben. Eredményeink szerűit a legtöbb faj esetében több a fénycsapdával befogott Ilim mint nőstény, azonban ez az arány az egyes fajoknál, de még ugyanazon faj. más és más rajzásában is nagyon különböző. Ezek az eredmények azonban nem vonatkoznak közvetlenül a természetben élő populációk valós hím-nőstény arányaira. hanem csak a fénycsapdás fogásokra.

Light Trapping of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Heteroptera Species in Relation to the Altitude of the Tropopause

The subject of our study is the success of light-trap catch of some insects (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Heteroptera) in Relation to the Altitude of the Tropopause. Groups were formed according to the height of the tropopause. The relative catch values of the investigated insects were grouped according to the heights of tropopause every day. Then we summarised, averaged and showed these values. We found a strong positive correlation between all of the investigated species and the altitude of tropopause.

Light-Trap Catch of Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum Denis et Schiffermüller, 1775) in Connection with the Night SkyPolarization Phenomena

The study investigated the efficiency of the light-trap catch of Turnip Moth (Agrotis segetum Den. et Schiff.) in connection with the polarization of the night sky. The hourly catch data of drawing during three years were assigned to the data of the 41 environmental variables. First we made cluster analysis with the data pairs. Based on this, further calculations were made between the most important influencing factors and the catch data. The results were depicted together with the confidence intervals. We can conclude that the catch at night is determined mainly by the Humidity, Sun-Sky-Pol, Moon-Sky-Pol, Moon-Pol and Clock variables, slightly influenced by Wind and H-index variables. The high relative humidity of the air has a decisive influence on the catch, because the insect can see only the distorted sky polarization pattern, and according to our assumption its orientation is hampered. The Sun stays in the first and last collection hours above the horizon at most. At this time the Sun’s sky polarization is higher than the Moon’s one. The catch is also influenced mainly in these hours. In the majority of the night, the sky polarization originated from the Moon is much higher. In these hours the Moons modifying effect is decisive. The Moon modifies the catch when he does not stay above the horizon. The azimuth angle of the moon is also a determining factor for the effectiveness of the catch. The Moon phase angle is high when azimuth is smaller than 91.7. Meanwhile, the polarization of the sky and the polarized moonlight are high. This situation increases the effectiveness of the catch. The effect of polarized moonlight on the catch is less significant than the sky polarization.

Light-Trap Catch of Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis Linnaeus) in Connection with the Hourly Values of Geomagnetic H-Index

We deal in this paper with light trapping results of the Heart and Dart (Agrotis exclamationis Linnaeus, 1758 Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), depending on the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field (H-index). We calculated relative catch vales from the hourly collecting individuals of examined species by generation. These hourly relative catch values were classified to the hourly values of H-index. These hourly catch results were correlated to the hourly values of H-index. We calculated correlations to demonstrate the supposed relationship between the two data. Our results suggest that more effective light trap catch belongs to higher H-index values.