Light trapping the adults of heart and dart moth (Scotia exclamationis L.) (Lep.: Noctuidae) in relation to different air types and heights of the tropopause

The authors studied connections between the trapping success of heart and dart moth (Scotia exclamationis L.) adults and the different air masses and heights of the troposphere. WE utilized the data of the Hungarian Stations of Plant Hygiene and Soil Protection (6 traps placed near Budapest were Utilized). The low and high air masses were differentiated according to the system of Berkes (1961); the ones situated in greater heights were established with meteorographs (radio sondes), launched at different periods. Stationary situations (when the given air mass was present during the whole night over the traps) were differentiated from changing ones (i. e. when an air mass was replaced by an other). Similarly, differences were noted when the same air mass present near the earth surface and high up during the whole night or if the air masses were inhomogenous i. w. layered or mixed. In high-altitude air masses the trapping data were correlated with the heights of each tropopause and with cases of multiple (multi-layered) tropopauses. From the catch data relative catch results were calculated and summarized according to the altitude data of tropopauses and of multiple tropopauses. The data of different trap stations but identical nights were summarized and averaged. The possible modifying effects of multiple tropopauses on the catches were compared on consecutive days. The significance levels of averages were calculated with t-tests and compared to the averages of other days. The trapping success is increased by the arrival of warm air masses and, in turn, decreased by the inflow of cold air. In cases of high-altitude air masses lower catches were observed in many cases on nights of their arrival than on other nights; but also opposite situations were noted. During the nights the successive arrival of different air masses (replacing each other) and also their mixing in the lower layers can occur, these are accompanied either by low or high catches