 In 2023 I undertook an overnight baseline survey of moths in North Betchworth as part of the B-Line project. During a single night of moth trapping I collected over 60 species of macro and micro moth. I repeated the survey on the August 16/17 and we filmed it to demonstrate the moth survey process. The night was perfect - a warm dry night with no wind. It was however noticeable that the abundance of moths was down by about 50% compared to last year. A single nights survey is not a reliable basis on which to make claims about abundance, but given the reduced abundance of butterflies this year it might indicate that the wetter and colder early spring/summer weather has had a detrimental effect. In spite of the low overall abundance of moths, 3 or 4 new species were found, including this Poplar Hawk Moth which will be added to the list of species we have from the previous survey. An updated list of species will be produced when identification work has been completed. Josh Brown Ecologist & Member of 4Bs Biodiversity Park Team
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While bees and buterflies are our best-known pollinators and receive much attention there are other pollinators that don't get enough credit for their assistance with pollination. Moths, in particular, are mainly nocturnal so often get overlooked as pollinators, but they are a critical part of the network of pollinators and an essential part of the pollination process and food web. Unfortunately, like many other instect species, moth species are in serious decline due to habitat loss and pesticide use. A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Sheffield found that moths under pressure from urbanisation, may also be less resilient than bees, due to their more complex life cycle and more specific plant requirements. The study also revealed that despite this threat, moths play a crucial role in supporting urban plant communities, accounting for a third of all pollination in flowering plants, crops and trees. Another study by researchers at the University of Sussex has revealed that while moths account for around 15% of pollination compared to bees (80%), they are more efficient, working harder during the short nights of summer. The 4Bs Butterfly Count quite rightly focused attention on butterflies but our moths and other pollinating insects should not be overlooked. The Big Butterfly survey included a number of daytime flying moths - Silver Y, 6 Spot Burnett and Jersey Tiger and all these species were recognised across the 4Bs. In particular, the 6 Spot Burnett is abundant in the chalk grasslands of Box Hill.  But what of the nocuturnal moths? In 2023 ecologist Josh Brown undertook a night-survey of moths in Betchworth as part of the B-Line project. During a single night of moth trapping he collected over 60 species of macro and micro moth, some of which are pictured below. The moths are fairly typical of grassland, scrub and woodland habitats but also included some which favour the chalky grassland/scrub habitat. For example, the Mocha (pictured right), which is nationally scarce, and has a distribution restricted to southern England, roughly following the Cretaceous greensand soils characteristic of the North and South Downs. It is hoped that with continued monitoring of moth populations, the number of species recorded will increase significantly and provide a useful indicator of the health of the wildflower-rich habitats within the 4Bs.. Below- Some of the moths collected during the night survey in Betchworth Top Left to right: angle shades, brimstone, burnished brass. Bottom Left to right: Feathered gothic, light emerald, large yellow underwing.  Hot on the heels of Alireza's post (see below) we concluded our 4Bs butterfly and moth count at the weekend. Our survey is a contribution to the UK-wide Big Butterfly Count organised by Butterfly Conservation https://butterfly-conservation.org/ whose mission is to save butterflies, moths and the environment. One of the aims of our 4Bs Biodiversity Park initiative is to demonstrate how a community working together can contribute to studying and understanding biodiversity in our area. The Big Butterfly Count provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate this and we are grateful to the 54 people who participated in the survey collectively making 174 counts. A report of what we discovered can be found HERE In this post we simply celebrate the beauty and diversity of the butterflies that we found through a short movie. Our intention is to add more species to our list and movie as we discover them so if you spot any more species do let us know by emailing [email protected] if possible with a photo. Enjoy  Hi, I’m Alireza, a 28-year-old medical doctor from Iran, living here in the heart of the Surrey Hills for a few months, looking for my first job in the UK. You may have come across the name of my hometown on a warm, lazy Sunday afternoon with a glass of the finest “Shiraz Red Wine” in your hand, or while reading the emotional poems of the 14th-century Persian poet “Hafiz”. You might also recognize it as the location of “Persepolis”, the ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire. But for Iranians, Shiraz is the heartland of Persian culture and poetry and Shirazis believe that this is because of the influence of nature and the wonderful paradise gardens of Shiraz in ancient and even more recent times. There is nothing more intoxicating than the aroma of flowers lifting from the breeze around April and the rivers and the gardens inspired Hafiz to become a poet and a mystic. It is said that Shirazis became calm, kind, emotional and poetic people because they lived close to nature at its best. I clearly recall my childhood feelings of joy when being around those rivers and gardens, but sadly now many of its famous gardens have long since disappeared. Our climate has become hotter and drier and there has been a rapid and significant decrease in groundwater levels as they have become depleted, resulting in the drying out of the beautiful vineyards. What is more profound is that I think without our nature we have lost the essence of Shiraz. It’s hard for you to imagine losing the green and pleasant land that I am enjoying everyday. But I have witnessed the changes around my own home in my own lifetime and I'm worried about the future for this fertile landscape which I now regard as my home in the UK. It makes me happy to do something to help preserve nature so that others in the future might also experience what I am feeling. I’m naturally inquisitive and try to learn wherever I am. Coming to England is truly life changing as I encounter and try to understand each new experience and situation. Everyday I am appreciating and feeling the natural beauty of this place, enjoying hikes around Box Hill, nice strolls and bike rides down to the gently flowing River Mole in Brockham and Betchworth, and contemplating the beautiful Buckland Pond. But how could I have known even a few months ago that I would be learning about English butterflies using the Big Butterfly Count App or know that I would be out today counting butterflies around a place called ‘Betchworth Castle’. There is something magical about the colours and unpredictable wanderings of butterflies that brings me joy and as I try patiently to catch one of them in a photograph I feel immersed in nature. Counting butterflies can be so much more than discovering a number- the act invites us to immerse ourselves in the meaning of nature and being consumed by its wonder. Our great Persian poet Rumi gets quite close to this meaning in his poem where he likens the way people behave to butterflies. ‘Poem Of The Butterflies’ The people of this world are like the three butterflies in front of a candle's flame. The first one went closer and said:I know about love. The second one touched the flame lightly with his wings and said: I know how love's fire can burn. The third one threw himself into the heart of the flame and was consumed. They alone know what true love is. Rumi (1207-1273) Perhaps this poem has relevance to the act of counting butterflies. We can approach the task as simply observing and recording a number. Or dive a bit deeper by learning more about butterflies and their habits. But we also have the possibility of immersing ourselves into the heart of the flame that is the wonder and spirit of nature of which we are a part. Here are some of the photos I have taken while out counting butterflies |
BlogThis blog is maintained by the 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative Team. Its purpose is to provide brief updates of activities and interactions as the project unfolds. We also welcome posts from members of the 4Bs WhatsApp Nature Group and wider community. PagesArchives
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