Can’t recommend the Caerlaverock NNR’s Moth Night highly enough!
Having missed previous National Nature Reserve moth nights, we were determined to make it along to Castle Corner last night – and were so glad that we did! Adam Murphy was just doing the introductions and (brief) instructions as we arrived, then it was straight into action! Armed with wee identification tubs, we delved (carefully) into the moth traps that Alison Robertson – local moth expert – had set up the night before.
It felt like Christmas!
What would we find? Both Alison and Adam were on hand to patiently help us investigate and identify the moths; they provided a small library of moth books to help in the task.
Mottled Beauty
Foxglove Pug and Large Yellow Underwing
We were quite stunned by the variety of shape, colour and pattern; the intricacy of some of the moths was quite stunning, the shapes diverse and some bizarre – not just the wee brown fluttery things you might expect!
Peach Blossom
Small Fan-Foot
There were a good 10 keen entomologist/ lepidopterists wanna’bees’ (including ourselves) there and we all shared our moths around so we got a really good look at them all, and an idea of some of the species found around Caerlaverock – some of them specialised specifically to our salt marsh habitat. One of the participants commented that this was their idea of a good Friday night out, we couldn’t agree more!
Alison and Adam recorded all the moths we found. The records will be passed on to the local moth recorder, and will be used to record and inform local and national data-bases for conservation purposes, and to keep an eye out for trends and the decline of particular moths or changes in population. See here for more: www.mothscount.org/whyrecordmoths
Beautiful Golden Y
Once we had emptied the moth trap booty, we were given moth nets, and set off into the woods to see what we could find! Avoiding gorse and brambles, we found a good few varieties – some of which Alison would have to take home to identify!
She was sure to let us know the importance of bringing them back to release into the environment from which they were scooped. Some moths and their caterpillar young feed only on a few specific plants, so careful release is vital.
We saw some moth traps in situ – their led lights already attracting the mothly night life, and a different kind of trap to lure in moths not interested in the bright lights, but with a sweeter tooth (and a liking for wine!).
*Though called moth ‘traps’, they are humane, intended to contain short term, and do no harm.
Buff Ermine, Green Carpet, Silver Ground Carpet
Rounding up the evening, Adam let us know about the two future moth nights the NNR are running in 2018 – on the 13th July and the 17th August – again meeting at Castle Corner car park at 8pm.
Check out our What’s On page (regularly updated) to find out the other NNR events, and coming soon, the WWT Events for July and August)
Poplar Hawk-Moth
We seriously recommend it as a good night out – something a little different where you will meet some lovely people, learn loads and find out about the most amazing moths amid our marshes!
Brimstone
Common Carpet and Brimstone
Actually ridiculously impressed that we could remember so many of the moth names, there are a fantastic array! Many thanks to Alison and Val and Peter Russell for keeping us right too! We’re already looking forward to the next moth night and certainly glad we made this one – it was mothly good fun!
A short video of the Poplar Hawk-Moth doing its thing:
Main image White Ermine
Moth Nights are FREE events
Meet at Castle Corner car park
Bring warm/ waterproof clothing, a torch/ headtorch if you have one (and some smidge!)
Give Scottish Natural Heritage a call so they know how many to cater for: 0300 067 3200
or email: SOUTHERN_SCOTLAND_ADMIN@snh.gov.uk