The Montgomeryshire Moth Group are a friendly group of people who study moths in Montgomeryshire, Wales. This blog gives everyone a chance to share their moth news. If you'd like to contribute, please get in touch!
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Moth night at Andrew Logan Museum, Berriew. Friday 1st August 2025 .
Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Lunar Hornet Moth at Cultivate , Newtown. Saturday 14th June 2025. Report by Phil McGregor.
An invite from Cultivate https://www.cultivate.uk.com/ to help run a novel, moth focussed "Father's and their children" morning turned out to be quite the event!
Based in the new activity shelter at the back of the site, a mixed group of 11 parents and children learnt about moths through viewing and even drawing them.
One of the new actinic loan traps from the moth group was left on overnight at the site with the hope of catching some moths. Thanks to the torrential rain on the Friday evening potentially reducing the flight window, I decided to trap some moths at home just in case I needed a top-up for attendees to view. Some moths were also trapped and lent by Simon Spencer which I collected on my way down to Newtown in the morning.
Arriving at the site, I found the actinic trap to contain only seven species of moths so the contingencies proved worthwhile.
Being a horticultural site with a good patch of currant bushes, I decided to bring some pheromone traps and lures for Currant Clearwing which I was confident would be there. At the back of the site there are a few mature willow trees, by the pond area. I had Lunar Hornet Moth lures in the freezer too so I decided to take some along just as a long-shot curiosity, not having seen the species before. "If you don't try....."
Around 11.45am, one of the children in the group mentioned there was a "sort of bee in the tree trap". Immediately hoping for the improbable, we all went straight over to the trap which was not 5 metres away and there, to much excitement, inside it was a Lunar Hornet Moth!
Later verified by Peter Williams, it is the sixth county record and the earliest record by one week.
Ironically, no Currant Clearwing were recorded!
The actinic trap species recorded were:
- Cinnibar
- Beautiful Golden Y
- Riband Wave
- Heart & Dart
- Burnished Brass
- Hedya pruniana
- Lozotaenia forsterana
Many thanks to all the enthusiastic families who attended and to Cultivate staff for their part in the event, providing engagement support and a fab lunch.
Phil.
Sunday, 8 June 2025
Moth night at Severn Farm Pond, Welshpool 06/06/2025. In association with Butterfly Conservation.
Another moth recording session was held last Friday night at the reserve in conjunction with the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust Wild Skills Wild Spaces (WSWS) group, headed by Nik Cain.
The diversity and infrastructure of the site is maintained and increased by the efforts of the WSWS members. It is a predominantly scrub wetland site edged mainly with broadleaf trees. There is also a "growing" area for pollinators.
Monday, 2 June 2025
Woodland moth survey near Tylwch, 28/05/2025. Report by Phil McGregor
A private night survey was commissioned at a young, mixed broadleaf woodland near Llanidloes.
The site, at around 298m, was originally peat bog, planted up with Sitka Spruce in the 1960's, which was then felled in the 1990's. Natural regeneration, sympathetic to enhancing diversity has resulted in a stand of mainly Birch and Rowan, with a scattered understory of Holly and Oak. 4 acres of Sitka Spruce remain. Due to the damp nature of the site there is a fine tapestry of lichens, mosses and ferns.
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Upcoming public moth night at Dyfnant Forest. Saturday 14th June 2025.
Hi all,
This is an advance reminder for the evening event Montgomeryshire Moth Group will be holding at Rainbow Trails, Pen-Y-Ffordd. It is a fairly remote part of the Dyfnant forest, being on its southern fringe.
Consisting of a mosaic of conifer, Birch/Alder scrub and carr. This covers a large part of the survey area. There is also an area of regenerating clear-fell. It is a very good moth-ing site.
The usual suitable clothing, footwear and hand/head torch are advised as for an outdoor, night time event. Midge repellent recommended.
Directions
From Welshpool, take the A458 towards Dolgellau. Just after Llangadfan, turn RIGHT onto the B4395, signposted Llanfyllin.
After approximately two miles the car park is on the left. It is signposted as "Rainbow Trails".
Alternatively, take the A490 west from Llanfyllin, soon turning left onto the B4393. Then bear left onto the B4395 shortly after Llanfihangel garage, through Pont Llogel and after about two miles, "Rainbow Trails" is on the right.
OS NGR SJ017135. w3w//yachting.couple.schools
We will be switching on traps around 9PM.
If the event is cancelled, it will be notified by a post on this blog and the moth group facebook page. Please check before setting out.
Hope to see you there,
Phil.
Monday, 26 May 2025
MMG Moth Night at Llanymynech Golf Course, 24/05/2025. Report by Simon Spencer.
The MMG Moth Night at Llanymynech Golf Course put 5 traps out on this area of limestone grassland and caught 36 macros and 8 micros (link to species list available HERE when available). The weather was warm, windy and with frequent light rain which may have put people off. Phil McGregor and Simon Spencer were very pleased to have help from new member Kate Gillan as the traps were spread out and attracted lots of moths. We were lucky to have the practice shed as our base which gave us some shelter.
Highlights were Grey Pug, confirmed overnight via the MMG facebook page by Pete Bent and Meurig Garbutt (Thanks both!). We also had orange footman and Broken-barred Carpet. Hawk moths were scarce but we had Poplar Hawk and Small Elephant Hawk. We hope to run Moth Mornings there again soon.
Our next Moth night is Rainbow Trails, Dyfnant Forest, Saturday 14th June 9pm. More details to follow soon.
Added to the blog by Phil McGregor.
Thursday, 22 May 2025
Upcoming moth-ing event at Llanymynech Golf Club, Saturday 24th May.
Tuesday, 20 May 2025
A moth night at Cultivate, Y Drenewydd. Friday 16th May 2025.
A second invite from Cultivate, Newtown (next door to Theatr Hafren) for me to run another moth night at their fabulous community gardens, proved to be a chilly challenge and not of the hot variety!
With the setting sun, a fabulous evening meal prepared by Annie Levy was provided for attendees, using on-site produce and Newtown food hub ingredients, a major part of Cultivate's sustainability ethos. Locally grown and reduce waste https://www.cultivate.uk.com/bwyd-powys-food/
By switch-on time for the traps, around 9.15pm, it was apparent that the forecast cloud was not going to materialise and a steady drop in temperature was felt by all.
Having caught and examined Common Carpet, abundant Alucita hexadactyla and Gracillaria syringella before dusk, the recording base moved indoors as darkness descended and the familiar chill deepened.
Initially, micro moths easily outnumbered their macro counterparts, including Hedya pruniana, Anania hortulata, Bactra lancealana and Tinea Trinotella, the latter being a specialist of bird nests. A lovely Cinnabar and Silver Y were the next macros brought to the table. We then saw a slowly-but-surely flow of diverse macro moths, including Figure of Eighty, Miller, Poplar Hawk-moth and Pebble Hook-tip.
Sunday, 4 May 2025
Cors Dyfi Moth Night, 26th April 2025. Report by Simon Spencer.
Our first MMG evening moth event at Cors Dyfi on Saturday 26th April was very successful. It is a superb venue being surrounded by excellent and unusual wetland habitat, having electricity, tables and warm shelter if needed. Our hosts Dulcie and Tom Faulkner were very welcoming and regularly trap there. Phil McGregor, Simon Spencer and Richard Bullock attended. We were joined later by Peter Williams, Mont Moth Recorder. We started by putting traps along the board walk where we heard Grasshopper Warbler, Cetti’s Warbler and Sedge Warbler. We ran a Mercury Vapour trap in the car park and a white Sheet with a MV bulb by the picnic tables. The weather was kind with cloud coming in from the West keeping the temperature up. I am sure it was still 12C when we packed up at midnight. It was a very enjoyable evening and we got some stunning moths.
Small Phoenix
Maiden's Blush (new to Cors Dyfi list)
Peach Blossom
Pale Prominent
Early toothed-striped
Dwarf Pug
Oak-tree Pug
Brindled Pug
Narrow Winged Pug
Water Carpet
Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet Pebble Hook-tip
Brown Silver-line
Scalloped Hook-tip
Least Black Arches
Pale Pinion
Purple Thorn
Hebrew Character
Flame Shoulder
Lunar Marbled Brown
Pebble Prominent
Oak Nycteoline
Ruby Tiger
White Pinion Spotted
Pale Tussock
Common Quaker
Alder Kitten
Common Wave
Great Prominent
Red-green Carpet
Brimstone
Brindled Beauty
Scorched Wing
Lesser Swallow Prominent
Early Thorn
Overnight
Poplar Hawk
Square Spot
Sunday, 13 April 2025
Montgomeryshire Moth Group events programme 2025
Hi all,
I am just taking the opportunity here to remind everyone of the dates for the moth group night events arranged so far. It is hoped to hold events in Welshpool and Newtown later in the year but the details are still being finalised for these.
The Andrew Logan Museum event in Berriew will be a collaborative event during the school holidays with a night event and following day activities. More details to come on this.
26th April 2025. Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve, MWT NGR SN703984 w3w.baker.officers.
24th May 2025. Llanymynech Golf Club, Pant. NGR SJ265220 w3w.fuels.buns.spreading 9.00PM
Friday 20th June 2025 8.00AM Ola Lluest, SY22 5NB (near Llanfyllin). NGR SJ126148 w3w.saved.balconies.foiled ***Places for this event must be booked through Eventbrite which can be done HERE***
Thursday, 6 March 2025
Annual mothing report for Montgomeryshire 2024
Hello all,
Just a quick message to let everyone know that my annual report for 2024 can now be viewed in the 'Articles and reports' area of the website, or please click on the link below to take you directly to the article.
Sunday, 16 February 2025
BIS Library Loaning Scheme
Hi all,
I thought it worth advertising this very good lending scheme from the Biodiversity Information Service as it applies to the whole of Powys and includes the loan of moth traps!
Phil.
BIS Library Loaning Scheme
We are excited to launch the BIS Loaning Library which will be made available from the end of this month to all recorders or wildlife enthusiasts across Powys. Through the library, we want to inspire recorders to generate new biological records and enable anyone with an interest in wildlife to learn more and develop new skillsets!
As part of the library scheme, you will be able to borrow:
- Guides and books on various taxon groups
- Hand lenses
- Moth traps
- Camera traps
- Microscopes
The library is open to recorders of all abilities who are live in Powys. We can make arrangements for recorders to collect loaned equipment/resources from our Brecon office or somewhere more convenient to you.
