Moth Morning | Hoe and Worthing Villages: Norfolk

Hoe Bird Walk 30th Anniversary Celebration Event

Moth Trapping on Hoe Common – 25th /26th July 2014

As a further event in this 30th year celebrations of the Hoe Bird Walk a moth trapping event was arranged with trapping taking place on the evening of the 25th July and an invitation to an audience from Mid Norfolk Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Hoe & Worthing parish residents to view the catch the next morning. To our knowledge the area has never been trapped before, so what would we discover?

The Friday evening was fine and clear and three traps were set up. One on the heathland part of the Common, one in the woods alongside the main footpath through to the B1110 (both 125w mercury vapour lamps) and the third in the grassland on the path approaching the Common from the car park. (2x30w actinic lamps). In attendance were Bernie Marsham, Colin Fenn, Barry Pummell and David Knight. All keen moth-ers and members of NWT Mid Norfolk Group.

The traps were turned off at midnight for convenience when moths were still being attracted to the lights. We assembled early next morning having inspected and potted-up two of the traps leaving one (MV lamp on the heathland) to be opened in front of our invited audience at 09.30. We had a large variety of moths with a grand total of 64 macros including a Square-spotted Clay which is a nationally scarce, category B, moth and not seen before by any of our trappers. Also we recorded seven micro moths.

For those seeing the moths up close for the first time it was a surprise and delight. The colours, patterns and names are a fair distance from those little brown jobs associated with holes in woolly jumpers. Maybe some of the audience have been inspired to join the mothing ranks. You should be warned, however, that it can become addictive!

David Knight