Moth spot delight

TWO different species of moths, which haven’t been spotted at Grey Mare’s Tail nature reserve in over 30 years, reappeared over the summer.

A recent moth trapping session at the reserve discovered a host of furry flying visitors, including the anomalous and autumnal rustic species which hadn’t been recorded at the reserve since 1993.

Seasonal ranger and moth specialist Ishbel Hayes also found four new species not previously recorded at there, including the broad-bordered yellow underwing, flounced rustic, pale eggar and mouse moth.

The moth trap that was set in August found a total of 119 individuals from 22 species of moths, representing a bumper summer for the insect at the reserve despite the overall population declines and last year’s cool, wet summer.

Explaining more, Ishbel said: “Moths are often thought of as the brown and boring cousins of butterflies, and despite our high numbers at the Tail this year, sadly, they are dwindling in numbers in general. “There was a 30 percent drop in the abundance of the insects over the last 50 years, with two thirds of common species found to be in decline.

“We carry out moth trapping at the reserve to observe the health of the moth populations and our habitats, with the data recorded added to national databases. These are used to develop moth atlases that show the distribution of different species across the UK, which help to identify trends for the insects over time.

“As a result of climate change, we are seeing moth distributions changing, with those previously only found in the warmer climes of the south of England expanding further north, and those which prefer the damper, cooler Scottish weather restricted to fewer areas.

“Moths are being impacted by several environmental factors including habitat loss and light pollution. We are also starting to see moths emerging earlier in the year causing de-synchronisation with food sources and causing knock-on impacts for feeding birds and bats. Our work is vital to help maintain healthy habitats for the moths and other insect species in our care.”