Moth Survey
Red Green Carpet Moth – Image by Siobhan Fraser
Last weekend was a busy time for members of the Community Woodland Group. It all started during the evening of Friday the 5th September when Mary Eagleson who is Moth Recorder for the Butterfly Conservation in this area, joined four members of the Woodland Group to set up two moth traps, one at each end of the community woodland. This was so that a moth survey could be carried out at both Birch Drive and the Dunglass Road end of the woodland. This was the first survey of moths in this area and would provide a baseline record of moth activity in this area for the future.
Preparing the Moth Trap
Moth trap in position – Image by Siobhan Fraser
The moth traps consist of a plastic or aluminium box which forms the main body of the trap, with a light source included. This attracts flying moths, which are caught in the body of the trap.
Compressed paper made from empty egg boxes provide a suitable bed in the base of the trap to keep any moths captured until they can be identified, counted and then safely released. Moths are often misunderstood as they provide vital roles in the wildlife ecosystem. There are over 2,500 species in Britain living in a wide range of habitats.
Collecting the Data
Volunteers recording the results of the survey – Image by Elsbeth Neil
The next morning, both moth traps were examined for moths. The Community Group members recorded the moths found while Mary acted as the determinator. The survey results consisted of 29 different species and a total of 76 moths. Before being released, the moths were photographed and the photos uploaded to the iNaturalist website. Mary will also send the records to the National Moth Recording Scheme, which is run by the Butterfly Conservation. The photos uploaded to the iNaturalist website can be viewed at the following link:
Woodland Clean-up
Images before Clean-Up by Siobhan Fraser – Images after clean-Up by Jim Neil
After completing the moth survey, the volunteers started carrying out the scheduled monthly maintenance. This month the work was to complete the clearance of the waste ground in Birch Drive
Volunteers clearing the area using the new tools – Image by Elsbeth Neil
next to the old Brahan Estate Road. This area has been identified by the Woodland Group as a suitable area to develop for a proposed sustainable drainage system Rain Garden. By lunchtime, the volunteers had cleared most of the remaining understory and debris from the area. The waste was gathered together in a pile ready for the community payback team to dispose of for the woodland group.
At the end of a long and enjoyable, if a hard, morning’s work, the volunteers gathered in the green open space in Birch Drive to enjoy a late breakfast of hot bacon and/or sausages in rolls along with a hot cup of tea or coffee and homemade cake. The Maryburgh Community group would once again like to thank everyone who took part in the morning’s activities, helping with the moth survey and woodland clean-up. Our special thanks to Mary Eagleson who provided her expertise for the moth survey.
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.
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