Moths

Moths are a good indicator species to the health of an environment. They are an important food source for many species including birds (mainly in the form of their caterpillars) and bats, they are also very good pollinators.

We take part in moth monitoring, working with Rothamsted research. We have a moth light trap onsite that is part of a network of over 430 sites that have been collecting data since 1968. These traps are of a standard design that means comparison between sites can be made.

Our conservation volunteers run the traps capturing and identifying moths. This is then fed back to the Rothamsted Insect survey database. We also run our own light traps, and the information gathered from these is recorded on iRecord, a site for managing and sharing wildlife records.

The information collected from these traps has enabled Butterfly Conservation to produce “The state of Britain’s Larger Moths” report, that shows those species that are doing well, those that are in decline and those species moving north from the continent as the climate warms.

Grow wild and nectar rich flowers, especially those that blossom at night e.g. Nicotiana`s, Night-scented stocks and Honeysuckles.
Leave a little patch of your garden to grow wild. This will benefit many other animals as well.
Buy or make your own light trap. Join your local moth group, details of both can be found online. But, most importantly, enjoy these amazing insects. Or make a donation by clicking here to our Conservation Projects Fund.

For more information: https://butterfly-conservation.org/