Moth fauna (Lepidoptera) at selected illuminated churches in Slovenia | Favna nočnih metuljev (Lepidoptera) na izbranih osvetljenih cerkvah v Sloveniji

English. The negative impact of light pollution on moths is a well-known but under-studied phenomenon. In the 2011-2013 period, the moth fauna on illuminated parts of facades on 15 selected churches from different biogeographical regions of Slovenia and at a mountain cottage on Sabotin hill was studied. In total, 609 species of moths were recorded, which is approximately 20% of all moth species known from Slovenia. The largest number of species was recorded at Koritno in Pohorje Mts (214 species) and at the mountain hut on Sabotin (213 species). This location also hosted the largest number of threatened moth species in Slovenia, as eight out of the total of 18 species were recorded there. The main reason for such diversity is presence of undisturbed habitats in the vicinity, and partly absence of light pollution, as the hut had never been illuminated prior to our survey. Our observations confirm that the light pollution affects large number of moth species and should therefore be limited by suitable legislation and carried out in practice. In addition, we provide data on distribution of some rare species found during the survey and before.

Slovenian. Negativni vpliv svetlobnega onesnaževanja na nočne metulje je znan, vendar premalo raziskan pojav. V letih 2011–2013 smo na 15 izbranih cerkvah v različnih biogeografskih regijah Slovenije in na Koči na Sabotinu preučevali nočne metulje na osvetljenih delih fasad. Skupno smo zabeležili 609 vrst nočnih metuljev, kar je približno 20 % vseh v Sloveniji živečih vrst metuljev. Največ vrst je bilo najdenih na Koritnem na Pohorju (214 vrst) in na Koči na Sabotinu (213 vrst). Na tej lokaciji je bilo ugotovljenih tudi največ ogroženih vrst metuljev v Sloveniji, in sicer osem od skupno 18 vrst. Glavni razlog za takšen odklon je ohranjenost habitatov v okolici osvetljenega objekta, deloma pa tudi dejstvo, da tu ni bilo svetlobnega onesnaževanja, saj objekt pred raziskavo ni bil nikoli osvetljen. Ugotavljamo, da svetlobno onesnaženje privablja veliko število vrst nočnih metuljev, zato bi ga bilo treba ustrezno omejiti; tako z ustrezno zakonodajo kot tudi v praksi. V prispevku podajamo natančnejše podatke o razširjenosti nekaterih redkih vrst, zbranih pred in med to raziskavo.