The Swift - the newsletter of the South Cheshire Group
continued...
Recording moths in South Cheshire by Roger Benson
First steps towards a scientific approach
I became involved with moths in 2003 as a result of a friend and neighbour, Trevor Rowlands, who commissioned one of his acquaintances from cricketing days to construct a moth trap using a design copied from the pages of Butterfly magazine.
Interest soon takes a hold when a moth trap is available, especially in the early days when everything is new to you. As the weeks go by, so fresh species enter their flight periods, and appear before you. At this stage the excitement as to what the trap contains is akin to a childs expectations on Christmas day.
It soon becomes apparent that there are many different types of moth (2500 in total in Britain) and the variety in terms of size, shape, behavioural characteristics and colour is amazing. Whilst moths have a reputation as being dull and dowdy, some species are as colourful as butterflies and truly, staggeringly beautiful. Some will readily sit on your finger, whilst others are very flighty. Some are easily missed due to their superb camouflage.
Moths are divided into 2 groups, primarily on size, and are known as macros and micros. Many recorders disregard the micros as being too difficult to identify, as books concentrate on the macros of which there are plenty anyway (approximately 900). Indeed, one of the first lessons in mothing is the problem of identifying some species, as patterning can be very similar. A good reference book is crucial. I can recommend a “Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland” by Waring, Townsend and Lewington, or “British Moths and Butterflies” a photographic guide by Chris Manley.
Progress may seem slow until knowledge is built up about flight periods and appearance records. There is much graft involved in the identification process in the first year, but the experience gained stands one in good stead for the future.
The point at which I became more involved in running the moth trap centred on the following principle: if we were to disrupt the lives of the moths by catching them, I thought that there should be more to it than satisfying a personal curiosity about what is out there unbeknown to us, and therefore more to it than just personal interest. I decided that taking a scientific approach, fully recording the daily catch and submitting these records to the County Recorders was the only way to justify the disruption caused in the moth’s lives.
Contact with Shane Farrell, the macro moth recorder for Cheshire, proved beneficial as his statistical sheets are a good indicator of what you are likely to see. In addition, there are different categories of moth ranging from Category 1 (widespread and abundant), through to Category 4 (rarely seen in Cheshire, and for which good quality photographs are necessary for records to be accepted).
There are even some moths where records cannot be accepted (apart from to an aggregated generic classification), without dissecting the moth in question. I personally do not want to cause the demise of a moth merely to discover what it was, so accept aggregated results in the few cases involved.
Other principles which I follow in order to minimise any negative impact that running the trap might have are as follows:
1. Get up early, before the birds, which may otherwise view the trap as a feeding station, as some moths land and settle on the outside of the trap, or on surrounding vegetation, making them vulnerable.
2. Release the moths away from the trap. I usually do so at dusk in my neighbour’s back garden, putting distance and barriers between the moths and the trap.
3. Allow half an hour to an hour for moths to disperse before lighting up the trap.
4. Hold the moths during the day in a cool, north facing porch in clear see-through containers, with egg cartons for those which like to hide away during the day.
5. Check with neighbours that they are not suffering inconvenience or irritation through light pollution.
6. Take care in inclement weather. Either do not operate the trap, or run for half the night only, or run with a cover such as an umbrella.
At all times consider the impact of your actions and activities, and do not lose sight of the welfare of the moths, and their ultimate survival.
To be continued.
Editorial
After the rush, albeit small, of Nature Notes for the last issue, I am sad to say that I have only had one item for inclusion in this issue, thanks to Fred Boast. Although the next issue will not be published until the end of the year, please think of all the great things you have seen in the wildlife world over the past year, and let me have them. I have said it before, if you cant put a good article together, no worry, just send me a hand written note, and I will make a story out of it.
I would like to give my thanks to Jane Knight for arranging a really great series of Summer and Winter events for us. I would encourage all members to support Jane, and attend at least some of these events. South Group has approximately 800 members, but we only see around 30 to 40 for our winter meetings, and even less for our summer outings. The rest of the members are missing out on a brilliant series of events, all designed with wildlife in mind.
So, if you are one of our members who has never been to one of our meetings, why not break the habit of a lifetime, and come and join us this winter. You will not be disappointed, I assure you.
Editorial Contact
Address: 1, Sandringham Drive, Wistaston, Crewe, Cheshire, CW2 8HZ
Telephone: 01270 661066
E-mail address: woody@fsmail.net
prev page |
