How many moths will you discover this Moth Night?

Moth Night 2019

Moth Night is a fun event; it’s free to take part and open to everyone. Most moths are night flying insects; they’re out and about doing their thing, while we’re usually tucked up indoors. Consequently, many people miss out on seeing even a single species of moth, during the year. This is a great shame, as moths are incredibly beautiful and very interesting creatures.

Why take a Moth Night, Moth Count? The results from participants’ Moth Night, Moth Counts will help to inform Atropos, Butterfly Conservation, and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, of the numbers of different moth species in the British Isles, at this time of year. This is such valuable information, by taking part you’re helping to provide moth experts with useful data that would be impossible to gather without help from the public.

Moth Night was founded by Mark Tunmore, the Editor of Atropos, in 1998. It’s an annual event, that runs for three consecutive nights. This year, Moth Night is celebrating its 20th anniversary!

Moth Night is organised by Atropos, Butterfly Conservation, and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

This is the Poplar Hawk Moth, also known by its scientific name of Laothoe populi. In the UK, this moth is usually spotted from May to July, but in the South, a second generation of Poplar Hawk Moths can be found during late summer and early autumn.

The Mint Moth is known by its scientific name of Pyrausta aurata. This Mint Moth is pictured feeding from a Chamomile ‘Bodegold’ flower. Sometimes pictures can be deceiving – this is a tiny moth, nectaring from a tiny flower!

Not all moths fly at night, this is a day flying moth, seen feeding here on Origanum vulgare. The Burnet moths aren’t the easiest to identify – this is a Slender Burnet Moth.

This is the Common Plume Moth, also known by its scientific name of Emmelina monodactyla. This moth is pictured resting on lavender, also known by its botanical name of Lavandula angustifolia.

Moth Night 2019 Dates

This year, Moth Night will be held on:

Thursday 26th September 2019,
Friday 27th September 2019,
Saturday 28th September 2019.

The Theme of Moth Night 2019

Moth Night’s theme is Migrant Moths and the Clifden Nonepareil. At this time of year, as well as spotting our beautiful native UK moths, we have the chance of discovering rare migrant moths. Moth Night is a celebration of this fantastic moth-spotting opportunity!

The Clifden Nonepareil Moth is a large moth that’s also known by its scientific name of Catocala fraxini. It’s also sometimes known by the common name of the Blue Underwing, thanks to the chalky blue band of colour, on this moth’s underwings. This once rare moth is now successfully colonising the UK and can be spotted in many locations, at this time of year.

Take Part

Anyone and everyone can take part in Moth Night. You could take a Moth Count on any, or all of the three Month Night dates. Although, if you’re doing more than one count, you may want to vary the area you take your Moth Count in – to avoid spotting the same moths.

This is a newly emerged Large Yellow Underwing Moth, also known by its scientific name of Noctua pronuba.

If you plan on using a moth trap to take your Moth Count, then I would definitely advise you to take each Moth Count in different areas, as it’s unfair to risk catching the same moths for two or more nights running – as doing so runs the risk of preventing moths from successfully feeding, mating, or laying eggs. I’d recommend always leaving at least 48 hours between each Moth Count taken using a moth trap, in the same area. If you’re mad about moths – you could get together with your friends or family – to take a Moth Count at one another’s homes – to vary the location and take a Moth Count on consecutive evenings.

Although most moths are active at night, if I am passing a tree, I always look out for moths resting on tree trunks.

How to Submit Your Moth Night, Moth Count Results

To submit your Moth Night, Moth Count results, visit the Moth Night Homepage (here’s a link), click on the ‘submit records’ button (it’s on the right hand side of the page) and follow the instructions (if you don’t have an account, you simply register – it’s free and easy) to submit your moth sightings. Thanks for taking part – I hope you have a great night!

See the Moths I spotted during my Moth Night, Moth Count

You can see the moths I spotted during my Moth Night, Moth Count, via this link here.