National Moth Night 2008 is to be held on 7th June (For more information see the official National Moth Night website)
National Moth Night (and day) is an annual celebration of Britain's moths, run jointly by Atropos and Butterfly Conservation. The date changes each year, and observers are encouraged to record any species they encounter, with records pooled in a central repository to provide a 'snapshot' of what's around on that date.
Public events
Every year on National Moth Night, dozens of Moth events are organised around the country where members of the public can join in the fun and excitement of moth recording.
PrizesThe generous people at Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies, Frantisek Slamka, Atropos and Bioquip have donated prizes for records in the following four categories:
- Most notable record of a resident species (macrolepidoptera) - Prize: a professional mercury vapour or actinic collapsible moth-trap
- Most notable record of a resident species (microlepidoptera) - Prize: a copy of Pyraloidea of Europe Volume 1
- Rarest immigrant species - Prize: a £50 book token to spend at Atropos books
- Largest list of macro-moth species recorded from an Orchard - Prize: a pair of 8.5 x 21 Papilio binoculars
Target species for 2008
Because the event occurs on a different date every year, there are certain species which are potential 'targets' - species which may be sometimes overlooked or simply at large during the specified period. This year, National Moth Night is also targeting Orchards as a specific habitat.
Species targeted for 2008 are:
 Anania funebris |
 Bordered Gothic Heliophobus reticulata |
 Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth Hemaris tityus |
More information:
For more information, including where to send your records and lots more information, visit www.nationalmothnight.info, the official National Moth Night website.