We have been lucky to have Katty Baird working with us for the last year undertaking a moth survey. This really helps us understand the importance of the biodiversity of the woodland, and how we best manage it moving forward.
Katty recently sent us this update:
"I had a fantastic year recording moths in Gifford Community Woods (Fawn & Speedy Woods). If you were walking in the woods at dusk, you may have seen bright lights shining through the trees or on your morning dog walk you may have noticed my black traps sitting on an old white sheet spread on the ground. The lights attract the moths (there are several theories, but nobody can quite decide why this is so) and they fly towards the trap, spiralling around the bulb and fall into the large bucket below. Here they can safely rest until morning when I come along, count them and identify them, before releasing them back into the undergrowth.
"Moths are a really good group of insects to monitor to give us an idea of how healthy a habitat is. They are relatively easy to catch and identify and if we find lots of different types of moth this usually indicates that there is a good variety of plants, insects and other animals.
"The good news is that I found over 180 different moth species in my year of looking! This is a really encouraging number and indicates the woodlands are already a fantastic place for wildlife. With further management to look after what is already there and perhaps increase the variety of plants growing around the woodland edges I’m sure even more moths (and other insects, birds, bats etc.) will flourish here."
Yellow dots show positions of light traps during 2019. Between 3 and 5 traps were set on nine different nights at approximately monthly intervals between 1st March and 25th November.
And for those interested in more scientific details in the findings:
Moth Survey of Gifford Community Wood 2019:
- Actinic light traps were left overnight in Fawn and Speedy Woods (locations shown on map) on nine nights at approximately monthly intervals between 1st March and 25th November 2019. In October some larval leaf mines were also recorded.
- 183 species of moth were recorded, including four species aggregates (Lesser Common Rustic/Common Rustic, Pale November/November Moth, Uncertain/Rustic and Marbled Minor agg.)
- 17 species were new to the hectad NT56.
Selected species:
- September Thorn (Ennomos erosaria). Larvae feed on oaks, birches, limes, beech – uncommon and very local in Scotland and the only Lothian records are from Clerkington, Haddington.
- Dotted Carpet (Alcis jubata). Larvae feed on lichen. Occurs in mature woodland and scrub, quite widespread in Scotland and has been recorded from several East Lothian woodlands. One specimen was recorded in 2019 from the wet Birch/Sallow area of Speedy Wood
- Figure of 80 (Tethea ocularis). Larvae feed on poplars & Aspen. Only recorded in Scotland since the 2000s, it is species that seems to be spreading rapidly north and is becoming more frequently recorded in southern Scotland.
- Lilac Beauty (Apeira syringaria). Larvae feed on honeysuckle, ash, privet. A species that seems to be spreading north and has become increasingly widespread in East Lothian in recent years.
- Early Tooth-stripe (Trichopteryx carpinata). Found in broadleaved woodland. Locally common in Scotland, appears to be spreading in East Lothian with most records only from recent years.
Further survey would certainly increase this list, in particular of the micro-moths. To maximise moth (& other invertebrate) diversity, maintaining a variety of tree species and age structure is important. Some close-canopy areas need to be retained but encouraging a greater diversity of ground flora along open rides would attract more non-woodland specialists. Moths are relatively mobile invertebrates and as the Community Woods form an integral part of wooded fragments from the Tyne at Haddington to Yester Estate, there is much scope for woodland-dwelling species to move between these areas and recolonise and establish in new areas as habitats improve.
And finally a few pictures of what was found:
