Moth Trapping for Beginners: Tips

I thought it might be useful to offer a few hints and ideas based on my own experience. Some of these will vary depending on time, place, weather and type of trap, as well as whether it's accompanied and how long and often it's run. It is good to remain flexible to suit conditions, except when a scientific approach is needed for yearly comparison such as with the Garden Moth Scheme.

  

In a garden situation, one option is to place the trap on a table against a wall. This will save bending to go through the trap, an important consideration as one gets older. Some moths will settle on the wall, particularly if it is white. Equally, a trap placed on the lawn can be lifted to a table for ease of inspection. Some trappers place the trap on a white sheet or hang one nearby. This can make the moths more visible, especially when the trap is attended, but is best avoided if it is windy. In windy or gusty conditions, overnight traps can be secured by running a line over the trap and pinning it with two tent pegs. The line should not touch the hot mercury vapour bulb.

It's important to inspect the outside of the trap and surroundings before turning the light off: this can save you the pain of seeing a suspected rarity disappear into the distance before being confirmed. The trap can be taken indoors but convenience has to be balanced with the risk of filling the house with insects and the consequences of that. A conservatory or shed is often a better bet, with some lively moths likely to head for the windows where they can be potted or released.

 

 

Glass collecting jar with plastic top

 

 

Magnifier with three lenses of different strengths

 

Once the trap is ready for inspection, it's useful to have pots ready to secure moths that need closer inspection. It's also good to have a camera, hand lens, notebook and pen at hand (plus a head-torch if it's still dark) to record species. I have a range of pots in different sizes but find I mostly use 2.5 x 5 cm glass pots: this size is suitable for many of the moths caught and glass remains clearer than plastic alternatives, which scratch over time. Care must be taken when opening them because the plastic tops can be tight, which can cause the glass to break and lead to a cut hazard.

The open pot should be placed over the selected moth and moved gradually towards the moth’s head. The moth then usually moves into the pot, which can be sealed first with a thumb and then by sliding the lid quickly into place. Pots can be placed in a fridge for later inspection and photography. I use a small hand lens with 3x, 4x and 5x lenses to inspect the moths, giving greater magnification when required. One technique of dealing with a busy summer trap is, after inspecting the egg trays, to tap them out into the empty trap. This often reveals one or two species not previously seen. Most moths soon warm up and disperse far and wide; the few remaining can be placed into local vegetation. The egg trays and trap can then be reassembled and put away.

 

Find out more

A useful article called Getting Started is available online from Lancashire Moths. This lists some useful resources and tips for beginners, including books, journals and equipment.

The article references Roy Leverton’s book called Enjoying Moths (ISBN: 9780856611247). This highly recommended book was first published in 2001 and is still available for around £30. It covers many topics about moths and mothing, all in a very readable way, having been written as an addition to the standard field guides available at the time.

Other sources of information include an online article from Staffordshire Wildlife Trust called Moth Trapping for Beginners and the websites of equipment suppliers. There are even YouTube videos on the subject.

 

 

To quote Lancashire Moths: One book that anyone new to moths really must read is Roy Leverton’s Enjoying Moths (T & A D Poyser). This is a book on the subject of ‘mothing’, and the bulk of it provides wonderful advice on mothing techniques that no beginner can afford to be without, while the rest provides an overview on the identification, taxonomy, distribution and conservation of British moths.

 

Next step

Identifying the moths caught in your trap is the next challenge. It gets easier with time, once the commoner moths have been learned and the more unusual ones start to stand out. Understanding the characteristics of different moth families is a good place to begin. More anon!