Lepidoptera Species in Selçuk University Alaeddin Keykubat Campus Area

This study was conducted in April-September 2023 to determine the Lepidoptera species in the Selçuk University Alaeddin Keykubat campus area. Four different methods were used to collect butterfly specimens. The first of these methods is the sweep net method, which allows catching Rhopalocera adults in April-September when they fly actively in nature, or on plants. Robinson-type light traps powered by a 125 W mercury vapor bulb were used as the second method for catching Heterocera species. In the third method, the specimens were captured in production areas such as vegetable fields, vine and apple orchards with species-specific delta-type sexual attractant pheromone traps in order to determine the presence of lepidopteran species specific to these areas. The last method is the butterfly walk method, which is based on the collection of eggs, larvae and pupae of pre-adult butterflies during field observation. The collected specimens were prepared for diagnosis in the laboratory and species identifications were made. As a result of the study, 37 species belonging to 11 families in the order Lepidoptera were identified in the Selçuk University Alaeddin Keykubat campus area. In Rhopalocera, butterflies, 16 genera and 18 species belonging to 5 families were identified. Among these families, the family Nymphalidae with 7 species was the family having the most species detected. In Heterocera, moths, 17 genera and 19 species belonging to 6 families were identified. Among these families, Noctuidae, with 8 species, was the family having the most species detected.