Moth Night
Visit the Useful Reading page for some of our favourite moth books and how you can buy them.
MOTH NIGHT 2020 and COVID-19
We are closely monitoring the situation with regards Covid-19. We would recommend that anybody planning an event for Moth Night 2020, proceed with their plans, but prepared to cancel if situation (as at 18 March) has not got any better. Individual recorders, recording in their gardens will, of course, be able to participate in Moth Night.
The date for Moth Night in 2020 has been set for 27 - 29 August. The theme for Moth Night 2020 is to be the various "Red" Underwings - Red Underwing Catocala nupta; Rosy Underwing C. electa; Dark Crimson Underwing C. sponsa and Light Crimson Underwing C.promissa. As in previous years, you don't have to target the theme moths if you feel unable to. One of the main themes of the event is to go out, record moths and enjoy yourself. As always we welcome public events as part of the Moth Night - however we urge people to take any advice given by government with regards Covid-19 nearer the date of Moth Night.
For more information about taking part in Moth Night click here, for details of the 2020 theme species click here.
20th ANNIVERSARY MOTH NIGHT - 2019
Prizes for the 20th Anniversary Moth Night awarded so far have gone to the following event organisers who all received a copy of “Field Guide to Moths of Great Britain and Ireland” donated by Bloomsbury Books:
- Suxanne Rowe – Animal Education Centre, East Park, Hull
- Douglas Boyes – Wytham Wood Event. Oxfordshire
- Philip Knot – Drumfearn, Skye
- Thomas Oliver – Farthing Wood, City of London
- George Tordoff – Forest Farm, South Wales
The prize for the best migrant caught (and reported on the Flight Arrivals page of the Atropos website) went to Ralph Parks for his Dark Mottled Willow captured on St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, on 27 September. Ralph received a credit for £50 to be spent with Atropos Books.
Once analysis of the results is complete, we will announce other prize winners..
Public events are an excellent way to share the fascination of moths; if you are organising an event you can have it featured on this site by entering the details here.
Moth Night is normally held in the warmest months; each event will last for three consecutive nights (Thursday – Saturday) and will take place on different date periods every year. You can participate on any one or more of these days or nights.
Organised by Atropos, Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Moth Night is the annual celebration of moth recording throughout Britain and Ireland by moth recording enthusiasts with local public events aimed at raising awareness of moths among the general public.
Atropos originally founded Moth Night in 1998. Atropos is the UK journal for butterfly, moth and dragonfly enthusiasts. It is published three times a year, with an annual Migration Review. This website is a resource for visitors to find out about latest sightings, how to get involved in recording in their local area and to share information with other enthusiasts. If you would like to subscribe to the journal you can do so by clicking here. AtroposBooks offer a wide range of books on butterflies, moths, dragonflies and other invertebrates.
Butterfly Conservation are the UK's leading charity devoted to the conservation of butterflies and moths, and their habitats. They run the National Moth Recording Scheme.
The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology is a world-class research organisation focusing on land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. They manage a range of long-term environmental monitoring sites and networks across the UK.
Participants are not required to comply with the theme and are encouraged to do their own thing.
In association with the Biological Records Centre at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, we have designed an easy-to-use Indicia-based online recording system available from the first day of the event until the deadline for data entry.
If you have any queries with respect to Moth Night, please email enquiries@mothnight.info.
Banner image of Dark Crimson Underwing (c) Les Evans-Hill
