A recent study by an entomology researcher identified 37 rare moth species in Kerala. As many as three of them were the rarest and reported for the first time in the country.
Swafvan K., formerly with the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kozhikode, recorded the rare moth species during a two-year-long survey from 2018. P.M. Sureshan, Scientist Emeritus from ZSI, Kozhikode, supervised the study.
The findings were published by the International Journal of Entomological Research. Dr. Swafvan said that the 37 new moth species he identified belonged to 13 families. According to him, there has been a decline in the diversity of moths in the agro-ecosystems of Kerala largely due to excessive use of pesticides, radiation and air pollution.
