Initial survey of the nocturnal macromoths of the Umbria (Central Italy)

The species assemblages of nocturnal macromoths (Insecta, Lepidoptera) were examined in relation to the natural sensitiveness to photoreception using a 250W mercury vapor lamp, powered by a portable electric generator. The standardized sampling time was at least three hours of night investigation. Weekly samplings were carried out from October 2015 to May 2016 at twenty-six sites in Umbria (Italy) in the zone comprised between Lake Trasimeno (to the West) and Apennine Mountains (to the East). The aim of this research is to update the checklist of macromoths in Umbria, a region little known for Macroheterocera except the accurate study of Zerunian & Zilli (2014) conducted on Mt Subasio area (Perugia-Assisi). During our study 179 species comprising 9 families were collected, in particular Drepanidae (8 species), Erebidae (14), Geometridae (71), Lasiocampidae (3), Noctuidae (56), Nolidae (1), Notodontidae (19), Saturniidae (2) and Sphingidae (5). In the autumn-spring period, the attraction to artificial light has reported a new species to Umbria (Eupithecia silenata Assmann, 1848) and 18 species previously found only in Mt Subasio area. The survey through phototaxis highlighted the species phenological activity in the months between October and May, showing considerable monthly fluctuations: from 6 species in December to 98 in May. The first results of our study contribute to increasing the knowledge on Umbria Lepidoptera, an ecologically sensitive fauna, important bioindicator of environmental quality.