Experts at work, even at night, to continue monitoring pollinators in the territory of the Pantelleria National Park, as part of the activity financed thanks to “Biodiversity” directive which the Ministry of the Environment publishes every year to help National Park Authorities in protecting biodiversity.
This time it’s the turn of the Lepidoptera, order of insects that includes butterflies and moths, with particular reference to microlepidoptera, which include elusive and often small species. To study these insects, collections are carried out at night with the setting up of temporary attraction stations with different types of lamps, exploiting the attractiveness of light sources such as UV light lamps of different frequencies. The collected material must subsequently be prepared and identified under the stereomicroscope by specialized scholars.
The team that carried out the first surveys is made up of Giovanni Timossi, a specialist in the study of this interesting group of insects, and the entomologists Gabriella Lo Verde (University of Palermo – SAAF Dept., scientific manager of the project), Ernesto Ragusa (University of Palermo – SAAF Dept.) and Margherita Coviello. During the sampling session carried out at the Water Bath, Lepidoptera belonging to different families such as Psychidae, Erebidae, Pteroforidae were collected, and other insects such as Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae and Orthoptera Gryllidae were also observed. Such monitoring constitutes an innovative action in the context of environmental protection which aims to gain in-depth knowledge of which species live around our lake and more generally on our island.