Rare moth discovered in Norwich garden

Ian Lindsay with the moth trap in his garden in which he caught the rare moth.

JON WELCH
07 October 2009 15:00



A rare moth, which was believed to be extinct until 1997 and had not been spotted in Norfolk for nearly a century, has been discovered in a garden in Norwich.

The Small Ranunculus moth was once common in the county until about 1895 but was last recorded in the county by moth-hunter Charles Barrett, who died in 1913.

Last month, however, moth enthusiast Ian Lindsay was stunned to discover one of the rare creatures in a trap in his back garden at Canterbury Place, Norwich.

Mr Lindsay, a lifelong nature-lover who has been humanely trapping moths for four years, caught the insect in a mercury vapour trap, which uses a bright light to attract moths.

After checking reference books and websites, he suspected the moth was a Small Ranunculus, but sent it off to experts for verification.

The moth, which measures 16mm long and is grey with black and gold spots, was confirmed as the first of its kind discovered in the county for nearly 100 years.

Mr Lindsay, a photographer, said: “I'm delighted, and lots of other people are happy. This has caused quite a stir in lepidopterist circles.

“I know a lot of people don't like moths and see them as an intrusion in their homes. People associate creatures that come out at night, like moths and bats, as being a bit spooky.

“I love their diversity, though. Some moths have brighter colours than butterflies. I think they're beautiful.”

The moth, whose larva feeds on the weeds prickly lettuce and great lettuce, is considered to be an endangered species. In the past it was regarded as a pest, feeding on commercial lettuce crops.

Mr Lindsay, 53, believes climate change may account for the return of the moth.

Its discovery was confirmed by Jim Wheeler, Norfolk recorder of moths, who said: “It's always exciting when species are discovered again. The big question is whether this was a resident or a migrant.

“It's been a very good years for moths. Lots of species have appeared that we haven't seen for a while.”

In August another rare moth, the Cypress Pug, was officially recorded in Norfolk for the first time after being discovered in Yarmouth.

Moth facts

Moths are closely related to butterflies. Only about 60 species of butterfly are seen regularly in the UK, but over 2,400 species have been recorded.

Moths come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and colours, and are found in a huge range of habitats all year round, even in winter.

Like butterflies, their life-cycle is as follows: egg, caterpillar, pupa, and adult.

Some species live as adults for only a few days, while others live for many months and hibernate over the winter. Some live as caterpillars for three to four years.

The Sphinx Hawk moth is the fastest moth in the world, capable of reaching speeds over 30mph.

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