Moths in my Garden

by Steve Goddard

Bright-line Brown-eye moth

For many of us, close encounters with butterflies of the night does not occur very often save for the few that come into our homes. This was certainly the case with me until after a committee meeting

last April when I was able to sec a light

trap in operation for the first time in the pitch darkness of Bradfield woods. Although we only saw two species (Common Quaker and Early Thorn) in what turned out to be a cold, wet and brief occasion nevertheless, it was enough to stir my interest.

An invitation by Russell Edwards to examine his own home-made light trap early last summer had me taking notes on construction (repeated for your benefit on pages I O and 11) and within a week I had my very own light trap. I would never have believed that with only a small amount of time and effort, a few odds and ends from the garden shed in addition to some essential purchases, I could actllally build my own. On suitable Friday nights from midJune until the end of August*, it provided regular interest for my family as we saw numbers and varieties of moths beyond our imagina1ion. I usually switched on the shining beacon (do tell the neighbours) at around 11.00 pm and set my automatic timer for just after dawn when I would rise, cover the trap with a large cloak (to retain the ca1ch and deter birds), then return to bed for another hour or so. Then on days of high catches I would sit for anything up to three hours with all my identifica1ion aids around me as well as a selection of holding boxes struggling ro pm a name to them. Even after that time some were released unidentified. There is no doubt that identification is a real challenge and you really do feel a sense of achievement when as a mere novice you spot that particular feamre that matches Skinner, Brooks or whatever

Elephant Hawk-moth

Guides you have chosen (perhaps more on ID Guides in another issue). As a newcomer, I was quite unprepared for waking up to what must have been two hundred and fifty moths collected on my very first night of trapping on 17th June. Two hundred of them tllrned OU! to be Heart and Dart which although clearly common, I had never seen before as so many species are not anracted to normal house lights. Nor was I aware of the problem of wasps in traps which unfortunately did succeed in killing one or two of my catch despite my frantic effons to prevent this. This same first catch in June was also special because I saw my first ever Elephant Hawk so beautiful in its pink and green. In fact, all but two of fifteen species identified, I had not seen before until 1his day. New species for me continued to abound until by the end of my summer collecting I had identified some sixty species in what turned out to be only six sessions. That's twice as many night butterfly species in a few weeks as day butterfly species throughout Suffolk in a whole season! i'vloth identifica1ion really is a rewarding personal experience as well as being a valuable contribution to county records. \Vhy not give i1 a try? •

I c111°t wait to get sL1r1cd ag;iin.

* '/ he only reason I stopped u1,1J hec,111se n11t11111n bird migration was nou, u,e/l 1111der way and I found it diffirnlt timewise, to combine my tu•o special interests ,ilthough I intend to extend my seaJon this year.