Upcoming public evening moth event at Hafan yr Afon, Y Drenewydd/Newtown. 20/06/2026. In association with Butterfly Conservation.

Hot on the heels of the moth group event at Llangynog, is our next recording session, an urban based location in Y Drenewydd/Newtown. 

This is a new site for the moth group to record at. There are only a handful of micro moth species records from 2012 in this area.

By kind permission of OpenNewtown https://opennewtown.org.uk/, the event base will be located in their outdoor shelter at the end of the Hafan yr Afon building.

Thanks to the thoughtful layout of the paths and building, this is an open access event suitable for people of all mobilities.

Switch on time for traps is likely to be around 9.50pm given the time of year, until late. 

Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for an evening, outdoor event and you will need to bring your own refreshments. A head/hand torch is essential. Insect repellant is recommended as a precaution. Please bring something to sit on if needed although there are outdoor tables and benches nearby.

Location.

Hafan yr Afon can be found at the rear of the main town car park off Back Lane (entrance next to the bus station). Parking is free after 6pm.

OS NGR SO105915. w3w//smiling.buzz.ordeals. SY16 2NH.

If the event needs to be cancelled, it will be notified by a post on this blog and also the group facebook page. Please check before setting out.

Phil.

Moth night at Craig Rhiwarth, Llangynog. In association with Butterfly Conservation 13/06/2026.

Craig Rhiwarth would easily be a lifetimes study of Geology, Flora, Fauna and History.

Heavily faulted, with rich mineral deposits and very thin soils has resulted in a landscape, part disturbed by human industrial activity since at least the Iron Age and a locally distinct environment with numerous niche habitat opportunities for uncommon wildlife to establish.

 

Craig Rhiwarth, Llangynog. PMG.

August 2025, the moth group surveyed the base of the southern slopes of the mountain, in the hope of finding Ashworth's Rustic. We had not expected to find Weaver's Wave as well as the former, being the target species.

The Weaver's Wave was identified as 2nd generation and with only one previous record from near Pystll Llanrhaedr, it was decided that we would return to the site in June 2026, the hope being to find some 1st generation. 

The weather had been marginal good/ok with a risk of lowering night temperatures as Saturday approached.

Traps were set up along the base of the slope in much the same places as last year, with the addition of two of the new LepiLED traps, purchased with our Local Places for Nature grant funding.

Switch on time was around 9.50pm and a Green Carpet was the first moth caught, with a net.

As people arrived to the event in greater numbers, thankfully, so did the moths, in a steady flow to keep Simon occupied with identification whilst the remainder of the 11 attendees walked up and down the lane and paths, visiting the various traps.

Knotgrass and Bordered White were among the macro's recorded

Knotgrass. SS

Bordered White. PMG

along with Grey Pug and Shears.

Grey Pug. PMG

Shears. PMG

Tortrix viridana and a not so common Teleiopsis diffinis (19th county record) were amongst the five micro species noted.

Teleiopsis diffinis. PMG

Alas, no Weaver's Wave on this occasion. It is the beginning of the flight time for this moth. It is not impossible that they are a little late this year with the disruptive cold spells we have experienced recently. Indeed, it was very chilly where the base was located, with a heavy dew.

However, our cold complex was unexpectedly warmed by the arrival in a pot of a Glowworm (Lampiris noctiluca), spotted by an eagle eyed participant. The strength of the green bioluminescence was most impressive. They have not been recorded at this site before.

By 1.30am, with the chill properly set in, we were down to three people and it was decided that with 7 traps on the go, we should start closing them down. 

44 macro and 5 micro species were recorded, the full list is available HERE..

Many thanks as always to those willing to come out into the night and join the event.  Your enthusiasm and keenness to learn about moths does not go unnoticed!

Thanks also to Simon Spencer and Phil McGregor for identifications and Peter Bent for verifications via the facebook page.

We would also like to thank Butterfly Conservation for our insurance cover and Y Senedd and Powys Nature Partnership's Local Place's for Nature grant funding support of the moth group.

Our next public moth group evening event is this coming Saturday, 20th June, starting around 9.50pm at Hafan yr Afon visitor centre in Newtown. This is a new recording site for the group, in the vicinity of Dolerw Park. Further details will be available in another blog post and on the facebook group page very soon.

Many thanks,

Phil & Simon.

Upcoming public moth group re-visit to Llangynog, 13th June 2026. In association with Butterfly Conservation. Supported by Y Senedd and Local Places for Nature.

Hi all,

Just a reminder that our re-visit to Craig Rhiwarth, Llangynog is nearly upon us.

The forecast is looking favourable for our target species Weaver's Wave, which was discovered as a second generation, in August last year at this site, on the North-east side of the village.

Most of the traps will be placed alongside the back lane which leads from Llangynog to Penybontfawr.

Parking is in the village car park and involves a short walk along the lane to where the event will be based.

Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for an evening, outdoor event and you will need to bring your own refreshments. A head/hand torch is essential. Insect repellant is recommended as a precaution. Please bring something to sit on if needed.

Directions:

The event base is about 380 metres from the village car park.

It is best to approach Llangynog from the east or west, along the B4391. Park up in the village car park, where there are public toilets. 

Walking, turn right, out of the car park, crossing the river, then turn right, off the B4391 and up a single track lane. Almost immediately turn right again and walk along this lane, with the open, rocky slopes of Craig Rhiwarth on your left until you reach the event base location.

Drop-off at the event location is possible but vehicles will still need to be left in the village car park.

Village car parking: OS NGR SJ 053 261 w3w///galloped.published.documents

Event base location: OS NGR SJ 0570 2638  w3w///unsettled.dinosaur.alongside.

Traps will be turned on around 9.30pm.

If the event needs to be cancelled, it will be notified by a post on this blog and also the group facebook page. Please check before setting out.

Phil & Simon.

Montgomeryshire Moth Group, June 2026 News and Events Calendar.

 Evening Events for 2026

Our evening event at Llanymynech rocks on 18th April had a poor catch because it was cold. It was a little better at Llanidloes at Ash & Elm Horticulture in terms of numbers of moths with 9 species, outnumbered by 32 people turning up. There is a report on the MMG blog for the Llanidloes event.

Our next moth group evening event will be back at Craig Rhiwarth, Llangynog in the far north of the county on 13th June. We will be targeting first generation Weaver's Wave, discovered at the site last year and attempting to establish the strength of the population of this scarce moth in Montgomeryshire

Most of the traps will be placed alongside the back lane which leads from Llangynog to Penybontfawr. 

This was a very successful location last year for a recording session.

Parking will be in the village car park and involve a short walk along the lane to where the event will be based.

Please wear appropriate clothing and footwear for an evening, outdoor event and you will need to bring your own refreshments. A head/hand torch is essential. Insect repellent is recommended as a precaution. Please bring something to sit on if needed.

Directions:

The event base is about 380 metres from the village car park.

It is best to approach Llangynog from the east or west, along the B4391. Park up in the village car park, where there are public toilets.

Walk north from the car park, crossing the river, then turn right, off the B4391 and up a single track lane. Almost immediately turn right again and walk along this lane, with the open, rocky slopes of Craig Rhiwarth on your left until you reach the event base location.

Drop-off at the event location is possible but vehicles will still need to be left in the village car park.

Village car parking: OS SJ 053 261 w3w///galloped.published.documents

Event base location: OS SJ 0570 2638  

w3w///unsettled.dinosaur.alongside.

Traps will be turned on around 9.30pm.

If the event is cancelled, it will be notified by a post on the MMG blog and also the MMG group facebook page. Please check before setting out.

MMG evening events.  Saturdays unless otherwise stated

Date	Location	Partner	Target	Leader
13/06/2026 moved from 20th	Llangynog, Craig Rhiwarth SJ057264	Confirmed	Weavers Wave	SS & PM
20/06/2025	Hafan-yr-Afon visitor centre/cafe Newtown SO105915	Opennewtown.org.uk Confirmed	New Location	PM - Need second person
11/07/2026	Ty Gwyn, Cefn Coch Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant SJ101268	Alan Bridger Confirmed	New Location	PM & SS
18/07/2026	Common Land at Melinbyrhedin, Machynlleth. SN815988.	Confirmed	New Location	PM & SS
15/08/2026	Cors Dyfi Visitor Centre, Machynlleth SN704984	Confirmed	Rosy Marsh moth	SS & PM
12/09/2026	Deri Woods,  Llanfair Caereinion SJ095067	Llanfair TC.  Detail not quite confirmed	Barred Hook-tip	SS & PM
10/10/2026	Hendre, Pont Llogel. SJ029151	Confirmed	Autumn Green Carpet	SS & PM

Moth Mornings

We are going to run several moth mornings where we ask someone to run a trap or traps overnight and gather at 8.00am to see what we have got.  Moth mornings will be advertised on the MMG facebook page and by email only a few days in advance to fit in with the weather.

We did several at Lake Vyrnwy last year with the RSPB and a local team - Kate Gillan and Fay Hirst, will be continuing these this summer.  That will leave me free to set up a permanent Robinson MV trap at Llanymynech Golf Club and run frequent moth mornings there. Ideally this also needs a local team.  Being limestone grassland etc it has some interesting moths including Light Feathered Rustic.  We have run 4 sessions so far and I can turn on the trap remotely from my phone which is hugely useful.  A big thank you to BIS for funding a permanent trap there 

Moth Morning Events 

Short Notice notification by email or on MMG Facebook

Date	Location	Map Ref	Partner	Leader
Often	Llanymynech Golf Course	SJ265220	Llanymynech Golf Club	Simon Spencer
Often	Lake Vyrnwy	SJ022190	RSPB	Kate Gillan & Fay Hirst
	Ola Lluest Llanfyllin	SJ127150	Claire Cater	Simon Spencer

There are other venues that have expressed interest but these events will be only advertised on the MMG Facebook page and by email to those who express interest at short notice.  We don’t need to do paper newsletters so there is no necessity to advertise months in advance.  We are open to suggestions particularly from people with good habitat happy to provide a power supply, and we have extra moth traps if anyone else want to organise Moth Morning Events.  Because of the support on moth identification provided by the MMG Facebook page it is not necessary to be an expert to run these events.  The cold spring weather until recently has held us back.

Local Places For Nature Funding

Local Places for Nature from the Welsh Government but administered by Powys Nature Partnership is funding some more seed packets of the excellent moth mix to give away and also some more kit including some more pheromone lures.  It has also funded more loan traps and Extra Equipment.  If you have had a loan trap and are not actually using it then please contact us to return it as we have people waiting for traps.

Pheremone Lures

Using these last year to attract clearwings has been very successful and we have had records of Lunar Hornet, Red-tipped Clearwing, Currant Clearwing and Welsh Clearwing, all rarely recorded.  We are going to repeat this in 2026.  The best way to make use of the expensive pheromone lures is to move them to new sites frequently.  The moths, if present, come quite quickly and the traps can be checked daily for a couple of days and then taken elsewhere. They fly mainly mid-summer and now I am looking for volunteers to help check and move the traps as well as sites with good habitat where they are likely to be successful.   Please get in touch if you want to help cerisyi@btinternet.com or 07866428875.  The idea is you try a couple of traps with different pheromones for a day or two then take them to the next person.  I am particularly keen to hear from people in the west of Montgomeryshire.  

Species	LureQTY	Target	Start	End	Habitat	Who
Welsh Clearwing	2	Downy Birch	End May	July	Upland	1 to Kate Gillan Vyrnwy
Six Belted clearwing	1	Birds foot trefoil etc	June	August	Limestone only	SRS from late June at Llanymynech Rocks
Large Red Belted Clearwing	1	Birch	May	June	Upland	1 to Kate Gillan Vyrnwy
Red-tipped Clearwing	2	Willows	May	August
Lunar Hornet Clearwing	2	Willows and Sallows	July	August
Currant Clearwing	3	Currants	June	E July

LED Light Traps

We will also be experimenting with highly portable LED light traps, again supplied by the Local Places for Nature grant, which will allow us to try trapping in remote places.  Finding Weaver's Wave at Llangynog has sparked an interest in sites where we have not recorded before because they are remote.   Kate Gillan has already caught some interesting moths around Lake Vyrnwy including Satin Lutestring and Glaucous Shears. 

If you catch beetles in your moth trap then Wolfgang Schaeffer wolfgang@cwmweeg.co.uk would love to receive records or photographs of beetles with the usual who, when, where and map reference etc.

You are receiving this email as we have your email address as wanting to receive MMG Events notifications and news.  To unsubscribe please email cerisyi@btinternet.com

Best wishes 

Simon Spencer 07866428875

& Phil McGregor 07971335384