Moth Survey

Hebrew Character Moth – Image By Siobhan Fraser

The May Clean up day didn’t start as normal on the Saturday Morning, but started the evening before. On Friday the 8th May a moth survey was prepared with 3 moth traps to be used. Two traps were supplied by Mary, the county recorder for Butterfly Conservation, with a third moth trap supplied by one of the Woodland Group Members. Mary arrived with her two moth traps at 7:00 pm on Friday evening.

Large Moth Trap – Image by Ian Fraser

The two traps were set up in a back garden in Birch Drive ready to collect any moths hunting during the night of the 8th. The other moth trap was set up in a garden at the other end of the woodland. When the traps were set up, the evening was a bit colder than we would have liked, but everyone was hopeful if the weather remained dry with only a light wind we would have some success overnight. Unfortunately the weather conditions were not conducive with the moth survey and when the traps were checked the next morning only 3 moths had been caught in the traps due to a very cold night with the temperature at less than 3 degrees. One moth in each trap. After identifying and photographing the moths the results were uploaded to the iNaturalist website. The three moths were then released, and the moth traps packed away ready for next time.

The Clean-Up

Area 8 being Thinned Out – Image by Ian Fraser

By 10:00 am on Saturday morning the Maryburgh Community Group had gathered in Birch Drive ready to carry out the May clean-up day. With many of the volunteers on holiday only 6 volunteers started work on clearing the Beech saplings within the woodland. Three members of the group started clearing the remaining saplings within area 8 of the 10-year plan. Another 2 members removed the remaining saplings within area 11 of the plan. One member of the group removed the Sequoia cones that were lying on one of the informal tracks within the woodland. This made it much easier and safer for walkers, especially anyone with mobility disabilities to walk through the woodland. Once the track was clear of cones volunteer was able to join the three other members clearing the Beech saplings. The saplings cut down were then stacked in neat piles to rot down and provide habitats for small mammals, invertebrates, fungi and other woodland species.

Refreshments

After 2 hours work in the woodland all the volunteers were able to return to Birch Drive. Alongside the normal sausages and rolls some other members of the Woodland Group had tea and coffee with sausage rolls and cocktail sausages ready for everyone. All this was within the shelter of a member of the woodland groups garage to keep the volunteers dry from the rain. More tea and coffee was available from the back of a volunteer’s car, equipped with a portable gas cooker.

More Help Needed

More help is always needed to maintain and improve the woodland for the benefit of everyone in the community. If you cannot spare a couple of hours to join us for some fun in the woodland, why not help out in other ways. You can now make a donation using our PayPal online system. All donations will go to help with the future development of our community woodland.