I have had a few records trickle in, enough to get me hopeful. Will we see more of Lyssa zampa this year? There is a peak emergence around the mid-year, which is difficult to detect annually, but can make an impression every few years, with the public sharing records with each other, and from unlikely places too.
Trying to determine an emergence peak is never an easy thing to try in the tropics. We lack the distinct patterns of seasonality of temperate regions but still, observers of nature can sniff out “seasons” after years of observation.
Lyssa zampa is the second largest of our moths and makes an impression with children and adults alike. Chatting with my older volunteers, we realise island-wide sightings have become less obvious with the reduction of vegetation cover.
In 2005, Lyssa zampa made a big impression and I collected sightings from around the island. The next big emergence was 2010, on a slightly smaller scale. Local naturalists are alert about such things now, do do keep a lookout and alert me. Is this a ‘murmur’ year or a year of distinct emergence?
The photo above was sent to me just now by Lim Chen Kee, from my International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS) team. He also sent me pictures in 2005, after an ICCS meeting! He was a undergrad then!
Please help by submitting records of encounters here: http://tinyurl.com/habitatnews-records and we’ll figure out what’s the emergence pattern like this year.
For old stories of Lyssa zampa, see Habitatnews
and this blog.
Happy hunting!
Otterman speaks... 