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Finding moths
Many species of moth, like the Mother Shipton above,can be seen during the daytime particularly when it is sunny so watch out for them nectaring on flowers like butterflies. For nocturnal ones, mild, cloudy, still nights with no moon are best for finding moths.Steady drizzle can be good, but cold nights, heavy rain and strong winds are best avoided.Look for moths throughout the year as different species are on the wing at different timesof year, although the greatest variety appearin the summer months.There are several methods that can be used to find moths,none of which kill or are harmful to moths.
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Day flying mothsIt is useful to know what species to look for based on the date of a sunny day. Here is a table of Scottish Day flying moths which will help. A few very common species that we will all bump into have been excluded. For each species the period when they are likely to be flying is shown in half-month periods. These will obviously vary from year to year depending on a number of factors.There is also some basic summary information about where geographically and habitat-wise they might be found. | Natural AttractantsMost nectar plants that attract butterflies willalso attract moths both by night and day.Simply search suitable flowering plantsparticularly for an hour or two after duskusing a torch. Sallow blossom, ragwort, buddleia, night-scented stock, hemp agrimony,sweet william and over-ripe blackberries can beparticularly attractive to moths. | Wine RopesAll youneed is abottle of cheap red wine(definitely not for you!),1 kgsugar and1 metre lengths of untreated thick cord orlight rope made from absorbent material. Heat the wine and stir in and dissolve thesugar. Allow to cool and soakthe lengthsof rope in the sticky mixture. Drape these “wine ropes” over lowbranches, bushes or fences just before duskand check for moths by torch-light for thefirst two hours of darkness. |
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SugaringPainting asyrupymixture onto fence posts and tree trunksto attract mothsis known as 'sugaring'. To make the mixture you will need:
Slowly heat the ale in a large pan and simmerfor five minutes. Stir in and dissolve the sugar,followed by the treacle and thensimmer fortwo minutes. Allow to cool before decantinginto a container. Fizzy drinks like Cola orIrn Bru may be used in place of the ale.A drop of rum stirred in just before useis recommended by some people, others mash in ripe bananas,butneither of these additions are essential.Paint the mixture at eye level onto 10-20 treetrunks or fence posts just before dusk andcheck for moths by torch-light for the firsttwo hours of darkness.Sugaring is notoriously fickle, giving differentresults on apparently similar nights. However, it tends to work better when used at a site regularly, so perseveringcan pay off! | Light and moth trapsIt is well known that many moths are attracted tolights at night, although the reasons for thisare not fully understood. Leaving outsidelights onafter dark and checking lit windows, walls and fencesfor moths during first two hours of darknessand again in the morning are simple ways to find moths that have been lured in by lights. Litsurfaces can be made more attractive by draping a whitesheet over them.However, a far more effective method is to use a purpose-made moth trap. Theseuselight bulbs which emita high proportion of UV radiation to attract moths into a large box or bucket where they can rest safely until morning. Trap designs vary, both in the type of light used and the style of box used to contain the moths, but atrap run on a muggy night in July/Augustcan catch several hundred mothscomprising well over 50 differentspecies! For more details of the traps designs available click on the box below. See our Moth Traps page |
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