In the Balearic Islands we have a population of Mormo maura living in the karstic canyons of the Tramuntana Mountain Range, which is hardly difficult to access.
As Mormo maura is known to be attracted to sugar-bait, I would definitely try to bait-trap them. The traps, we are using in the tropics proved to collect moths in Europe quite efficiently. The questions is, how far the moth would fly from its resting places, which I guess is cracks, hollows and caves. Is the foodplant Alnus there??? Cheers, Safi
I think you may use light traps, it seems this species can be caught with light traps. Moths get attracted to the lights and fall into the buckets set below, you can set a chloroform bottle with a piece of rope to release it inside the bucket, if intend to trap them dead. Yet some light traps can be expensive, and it may be hard to set them in the mountains.
Hi Arnaud, according to our experience, M. maura aviods artificial light similarly to Catocala). I saw only one coming to light bulb (and it did not settle) in 30 years, but they regularly come to sugar bait. I guess, during the hot summer months, it would not be different in the Balearic Islands. Cheers, Safi
Hi Safi & Samuel, there are various types of lights and compounded to this, seasonal effects (related to physiological status). For instance one species I worked on, never been attracted based on literature, but our field data showed that the moth respond to light traps at some time of their life cyle, not always. For sure the issue with light traps is that you have to find the right light (e.g UV or not) and the right time. Hence why I have heard here and there a lot of controversy about the light trapping success!
Best, Arnaud
Mormo maura is closely bound to water (and so are the caterpillars). I think the moths will fly not far away from their habitats. So your first problem will be the access to the canyons.
Best wishes, Rudi
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