Guwahati: When darkness falls over Nagaland University’s Lumami campus, a remarkable ecological scene comes alive. Under the glow of a single LED bulb, researchers have documented 106 species of moths, proving that even a modest university campus can emerge as a vital biodiversity hotspot.
The study was conducted by research scholar Keneisano Yhoshii and assistant professor Lobeno Mozhui from the Department of Zoology, Nagaland University. Over a brief period of just three months in early 2024, the researchers recorded 106 species under 83 genera, 12 families and seven superfamilies. The findings appeared in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The team collected specimens through light trapping using a 100 W LED bulb and handpicking near light sources.
Significantly, 36 of these species are recorded for the first time in Nagaland.
Moths form an essential part of terrestrial ecosystems because they act as important pollinators and ecological indicators. This marks the first detailed study on moth diversity at the Lumami campus and aims to understand the range of species thriving there.
What makes the discovery even more striking is its setting. Lumami is not a protected forest or wildlife sanctuary. Instead, it is a functioning academic campus shaped by artificial lighting, construction activity and daily human movement. Yet, families such as Erebidae and Geometridae, which are usually sensitive to disturbance, dominate the moth population. This indicates that the surrounding landscape still retains strong ecological health.
According to the researchers, several documented species play critical environmental roles. For instance, Acosmeryx naga acts as an important nocturnal pollinator. Meanwhile, species like Chadisra bipartita help indicate forest health, as their decline often reflects pesticide exposure, habitat loss and climate stress.
Globally, moth populations are facing severe decline due to climate change, deforestation and rapid urbanisation. Therefore, the Lumami findings highlight rare ecological resilience. However, they also serve as a caution. The short survey suggests that the campus may hold even greater undocumented diversity, while unplanned development could threaten it.
Nagaland lies within one of India’s richest yet under-studied biodiversity regions. Still, insect studies remain limited. Thus, this research offers crucial baseline data for future conservation planning, biodiversity monitoring and understanding climate impacts on insect communities in the eastern Himalaya.
The researchers stress that the study is not exhaustive. Much of Nagaland’s moth diversity still remains unexplored due to limited surveys and lack of long-term monitoring. They emphasise the need for expanded research across different seasons and locations to reveal more species richness and assess conservation priorities.
Ultimately, the message from Lumami is clear. Conservation does not begin only in national parks and wildlife reserves. Sometimes, it starts in overlooked spaces—where, after dark, moths quietly reveal the true health of our ecosystems.