You wouldn’t normally expect to find a lobster in your local park. But if you go down to the woods this summer, you could be in for a big surprise, writes Liam Creedon
Woodland wouldn’t necessarily be your first port of call when looking for a lobster.
But amid the UK’s woods, forests and glades lurks a truly extraordinary moth that bears an uncanny likeness to the famous and decidedly more palatable crustacean.
The adult Lobster Moth is, on the face of it, a rather unprepossessing beast. Brownish-grey, furry and revealing itself only at night, it is not generally regarded as a moth to stir the imagination.
Yet its caterpillar is one of the most extraordinary in the natural world. Like an extra from a horror film, it resembles a freakishly leggy lobster crossed with the front end of a bad-tempered tarantula.
Lurking among the leaves of birch, hazel and oak, the caterpillar develops this terrifying appearance in a bid to deter would-be predators.
The Lobster Moth is relatively common and adults are seen regularly during midsummer evenings. But despite being widespread, many people are totally unaware of it.
That you may never have heard of the Lobster Moth is hardly surprising. There are more than 2,500 species of moth in the UK and many of these are found in our woodlands.
Despite the UK’s wildlife being probably the best-studied and most well-documented in the world, there are still large swaths of our woodlands that haven’t been surveyed for moths.
So this year, moth experts are calling for all nature lovers to venture down to the woods to seek out the dazzling diversity of our unexplored moth hotspots.
Moth Night runs from July 3-5 and organisers of the event are urging wildlife fans to go out and explore their neighbourhood woods and back gardens or join organised moth-trapping events.
Records of what is seen will greatly enhance the understanding of how woodland species are faring.
Local events taking place include:
DRUM CASTLE, DRUMOAK, SATURDAY, JULY 5, 10AM-NOON
Staff will open up light traps set in Drum’s wildlife garden and old wood to discover the marvellous moths of all shapes, sizes, colours and patterns at rest inside. Booking essential on 0844 493 2161.
Organised by NTS and Aberdeenshire Council Ranger Service. Under-16s must be accompanied. Bring stout footwear and appropriate clothing for weather conditions. Sun protection may be required and close-focus binoculars are useful.
LEDMORE AND MIGDALE WOODS NEAR INVERGORDON, SATURDAY, JULY 5, 10AM
Join organisers for a look through the traps for moths caught in a variety of slightly different woodland habitats on
this Woodland Trust property.
Wear footwear and clothing for variable weather. There’s also a possibility of visiting some local butterfly sites
in the area in the afternoon if the weather is reasonable.
Contact: Tony Mainwood on 01408 633247 for further details.
Moth Night 2014 is organised by Atropos and Butterfly Conservation. Visit www.mothnight.info for more information.