Extreme northern finding of two noctuoid moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae and Noctuidae) in the Peter the Great Gulf, Russian Far East

Abstract

The two East Asian subtropical–tropical noctuoid moths, Nyctemera adversata (Schaller, 1788) (Erebidae: Arctiinae) and Dictyestra dissectus (Walker, 1865) (Noctuidae: Noctuinae), are newly recorded in the Russian Far East on an extreme long distance to the north from their known localities in the neighboring countries. They were collected on the small Rikord Island in the Peter the Great Gulf after the period of strong southern wind associated with Typhoon Chaba. Data on the general distribution and bionomics of these species are given. This founding, along with other similar discoveries, is consistent with the current trend of global climate warming and indicates a northward expansion of the ranges of southern species in the Sea of Japan/East Sea region. Large migratory moths effectively use powerful air currents to move long distances, including over the sea, while small coastal islands can be used by them as intermediate sites and/or for possible establishing of invasive populations.