Moths at Hacienda Riquelme, indicators of the health of the environment

Versión en español

Our neighbour and naturalist John Girdley has sent us the following article. It's not the first time we've talked about moths on this blog and we hope you find this post interesting (or at least curious). Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Moths at Hacienda Riquelme, indicators of the health of the environment, migration and rarities.

I have been recording moths at Hacienda Riquelme since I first bought here 15 years ago. Since I retired this has become a serious study supported and encouraged by Murcia University. The habitat on a second-floor balcony is hardly ideal but provides a snapshot of the wider environment. If STV have been spraying or trees are cut down then, numbers do decrease. Over the years 478 species have been recorded.

Moth trap

Migration.

Most people are aware that some birds fly from Africa every year on an annual migration. Insect migration is less well studied but can happen on an enormous scale. The reasons aren’t so clear but are likely related to food sources, breeding potential and weather in North Africa, especially Algeria in the case of Murcia.

This year has been notable for rare migrants. The quite large Striped Hawkmoth (Hyles livornica) has arrived in very large numbers this year. The author saw 400 in just two traps two weeks ago in Cadiz province, and they have arrived in Murcia too.

Striped Hawkmoth (Hyles livornica)

These can be indicators of wider movement. The tiny Aproaerema polychromella (3mm) with just one previous record here has been seen in the hundreds.

Aproaerema polychromella

Similarly the equally rare Euchromious ocellea has turned up in similar large numbers. Eastern Bordered Straw (Heliothis nubigera) and the Levant Blackneck (Tathorhynchus exsiccate) likewise.

Levant Blackneck (Tathorhynchus exsiccate)

All of these have crossed 100’s of kilometres of the Mediterranean Sea to get here.

Rare Breeding Moths.

The Pine Tree Lappet (Dendrolimus pini) lives in the local mature pine forests. As the Pine trees at Hacienda Requelme grow and mature it is being seen regularly.

Pine Tree Lappet (Dendrolimus pini)

Cucullia bubaceki and Eilema rungsi are both very rare in a Murcia context. Cucullia bubaceki has just one known breeding colony near the River Mula and Eilema rungsi has just two previous Murcia records. Records of these in both 2024 and 2025 suggest that they are breeding here.

Cucullia bubaceki

Finally, the stunning Leopard Moth (Zeuzera pyrina) turned up in the first week of May. Could this also be breeding nearby? We await further records.

Leopard Moth (Zeuzera pyrina)