24-07-2025
- Science
- New Indian Express
PhD scholar documents 450 moth species in Kanniyakumari sanctuary; records rare finds
KANNIYAKUMARI: A 24-year-old research scholar, pursuing her doctoral degree in Zoology at the Lady Doak College in Madurai, has so far documented around 450 species of moths at the Kanniyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary -- home to diverse species of moths that have largely remained unidentified.
The research fellow -- Vidhya Ananthavel, a native of Virudhunagar -- took up the study as part of her PhD research eight months ago. She identified the insects using the light sheeting method through surveys, carried out from dusk till dawn -- as most moths are nocturnal -- at multiple sites across the sanctuary. The presence of four rare species -- Srilankan Atlas moth, Indian Moon moth, Tasar Silk moth, and Golden Emperor moth -- has been recorded during the documentation.
Vidhya said, "Many moth species display intricate, striking patterns that serve as their defense mechanism. Sri Lankan Atlas moth, the largest observed in Kanniyakumari district with a wingspan of up to 25 cm, has wing tips resembling the head of a snake. Indian Moon moth has long hindwing tails that interfere with bat echolocation, to confuse predators."
Saying the insects are "largely misrepresented", she told TNIE that only a small fraction are pests, and a majority have beneficial roles as pollinators, especially for the night-blooming plants and economically significant crops such as coffee and papaya. Moth larvae feed on plant matter and aid nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems, she said, adding that their droppings during the caterpillar stage enrich the soil. Moreover, their sensitivity to environmental changes makes them excellent bioindicators of habitat health, she added.
District forest officer E Prasanth told TNIE that the study, being conducted after obtaining permission from the chief wildlife warden, would help the conservation of the moth species in the sanctuary in the future.
Kanniyakumari Nature Foundation (KNF) director Vinod Sadhasivan said the KNF, Lady Doak College and the forest department recently organised a moth night event, as part of the National Moth Week 2025, at the sanctuary, during which Vidhya highlighted the incredible diversity and the significant ecological roles of moths.
