Moth Night 2022

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.

If you’re interested in discovering what moths visit your garden, why take a 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 range and numbers of moth species present 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.

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

Moth Night 2022 Dates

I wanted to let you know about Moth Night with plenty of time to arrange your own moth explorations! Get your diary ready – this year, Moth Night will be held on:

Thursday 19th May 2022
Friday 20th May 2022
Saturday 21st May 2022

The Theme of Moth Night 2022: Woodlands

This year, Moth Night’s theme is Woodlands. Woodlands are important habitats for moths, birds, and other wildlife. Visit Moth Night’s website and see if you can find a Moth Night group event at woodland near you; here’s a link to all the Moth Night Events around the UK.

What Moths Could You See in May?

Why not take a daytime moth count and look out for day-flying moths? Look out for moths in the daytime and at night.

Here are Some of the Moths I’ve Spotted in my Garden in Daytime in May…..

This is a Pyrausta purpuralis Moth, which is very similar to the Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata). Pyrausta purpuralis is a small-sized day-flying moth.

This is Pyrausta purpuralis. I grow a lot of herbs and I can almost always see Mint Moths (Pyrausta aurata) and these very similar moths when I’m in my garden. Mint Moth caterpillars feed on mint, oregano, marjoram, calamint, clary sage, and thyme. I grow all of these plants in my garden and have successfully created ‘Mint Moth Heaven’.

A Cinnabar Moth (Tyria jacobaeae), resting on a Stachys sylvatica leaf. Pictured on the 23rd June 2021.

Here are Some of the Moths I’ve Spotted in my Garden at Night in May….

This is the Spectacle Moth (Abrostola tripartita). It’s named because it looks as if it’s wearing spectacles!.

The Red-green Carpet Moth (Chloroclysta siterata) is a very beautiful moth. I spotted this moth on the wood pile near my wildlife pond in May 2022.

Pale Tussock Moth (Calliteara pudibunda) have grey furry legs that are often stretched out in front of them. This is a male Pale Tussock Moth – it’s smaller than the female.

The Elephant Hawk Moth is a stunning moth; it’s also known by its scientific name, Deilephila elpenor.

This is a Peppered Moth (also known by its scientific name, Biston betularia).

The Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata).

Poplar Hawk Moth (Laothoe populi) have a magnificent shape and form. Their caterpillar food plants include Poplar and Willow.

Here’s a Buff Ermine Moth (Spilosoma luteum). This moth really does look as if he is modelling a buff-coloured, fur ermine!

I was excited to see this Lobster Moth (Stauropus fagi) in my garden! I am always fascinated by how many of our moth species’ wing markings help to protect the moths with really effective camouflage.

This is a May Highflyer Moth (also known by its scientific name, Hydriomena impluviata). This moth is very variable and May Highflyer Moth often have different coloured wings from one another.

This is another May Highflyer Moth (also known by its scientific name, Hydriomena impluviata).

I spotted this Alder Moth (Acronicta alni) near my wildlife pond in May 2022.

I caught this Small Elephant Hawk-moth (Deilephila porcellus) during my Moth Night Moth Count 2021 – this is an older specimen – younger moths are more vibrantly coloured.

I caught this Early Grey Moth (Xylocampa areola) in my moth trap on the 31st March 2021. This moth flies from March to May, in the UK.

This is a Treble Lines Moth (also known by its scientific name, Charanyca trigrammica).

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, please vary the area you take your Moth Count in – to avoid disrupting and catching the same moths.

Methods of Attracting Moths

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 – doing so runs the risk of preventing moths from successfully feeding, mating, or laying eggs. I’d recommend always leaving a minimum of three nights between each Moth Count taken using a trap, in the same area. If you’re mad about moths – you could get together with friends or family – to take a Moth Count at one another’s gardens – to vary the location and take a Moth Count on consecutive evenings. By varying the location of your month count, you’ll be able to see a wider range of moth species.

You don’t need a moth trap to take part, you could go outside with a torch to look for moths, or take a white sheet and a light outside.

Sugaring

Alternatively, you could try sugaring or wine roping to attract moths to your garden. Many moths are drawn to feed on this sweet, sticky solution:

Slowly heat 500ml of red wine or brown ale in a pan and simmer for a few minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and add 1kg of dark brown sugar and the contents of a 454g tin of black treacle to your pan of warm ale or red wine and stir.
Pop the pan back on the stove and continue stirring whilst heating gently, on a low heat, until all the sugar is dissolved.
When all the sugar is dissolved, simmer for three minutes.
Leave the mixture to cool, then decant into a jar.
Add a dash of rum and stir the mixture, just before you paint the solution onto a fence, a pole, or a piece of rope, to attract moths to your garden.

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 Moth Night!

See the moths I saw during my Moth Night 2022 Moth Count

I caught these moths during my Moth Night 2022 Moth Count.

See the Moths I spotted during my Previous Years’ Moth Night, Moth Counts

See pictures of the moths I caught during my 2021 Moth Night Moth Count by clicking here.

Discover what moths I caught during my 2020 Moth Night Moth Count by clicking here.

See the moths I spotted during my 2019 Moth Night, Moth Count, by clicking here.

You can see photographs of the moths I’ve found around my pond, in this article.

Find more articles about moths, by clicking here.