Catching moths in your woodland
by Angus, 16 October, 2014, 1 comments
Moths are attracted to the light and are largely nocturnal. So a woodland owner can trap and identify moths - if they have the right moth-catching equipment. Woodland owners, Heather and Rodney have developed a brilliant home-made moth trap, which uses a mercury vapour bulb and is powered by a generator. This has saved them the cost of buying a commercial moth trap, (at a cost of about £200); it has also given them a trap which is much more suited to their needs.
Using this device, Heather has identified over 350 different moth species over the last couple of years, such as the large grey Clifden Nonpareil (see image below). It turns out that moths are really important in woodlands as they pollinate many plants and provide food for small mammals, spiders and bats. Read more...
