Nationally rare moth crowns bumper heatwave survey at Hergest Croft Gardens

Volunteer citizen scientists record more than 160 moth species over two nights at the Kington gardens — including only the second confirmed Herefordshire sighting of the Cloaked Pug

KINGTON, Herefordshire — A night-time moth survey carried out during one of this summer's heat waves at Hergest Croft Gardens has turned up a remarkable haul of more than 160 species — including a nationally rare moth so scarce it has only ever been recorded twice in Herefordshire.

The standout find was a Cloaked Pug (Eupithecia abietaria), whose caterpillars feed on spruce and fir. It is only the second confirmed record for the county; the first was found by County Moth Recorder Peter Hall in Mortimer Forest in 2020.

Moths are widely regarded as one of the best indicators of ecosystem health, being highly sensitive to habitat quality, pollution and climate — their abundance and diversity reveal a great deal about the condition of a habitat. A count of over 160 species, with dozens more micro-moths still awaiting expert identification, is being taken as a strong endorsement of the richness and variety of habitats across the Gardens.

The surveys ran over two nights during the recent heatwave — conditions that, while uncomfortable for people, are ideal for ‘mothing’. Light traps lined with egg boxes were set up in the Gardens' pond area and arboretum, drawing in moths that were carefully counted, recorded and released unharmed just before sunrise. On one night alone, at the pond, 208 individual moths across 58 verified species were recorded. Other highlights included:

• A Bird's Wing (Dypterygia scabriuscula), described as very uncommon in Herefordshire

• Six Eudonia delunella (Pied Grey), a Nationally Scarce migrant moth — an unusually high number to find in one location

• Blomer's Rivulet, also Nationally Scarce and an indicator of healthy elm trees

• A cluster of ‘Local’ specialist species — including the Little Beech Tortrix and Barred Hook-Tip (both reliant on mature beech trees), the Tufted Pine Moth (partial to Scots pine and larch), and the lichen-feeding Brussels Lace whose presence points to long-established woodland, clean air and healthy lichen communities

• Some more familiar but no less charming characters: the twig-mimicking Buff-tip, the bespectacled-looking Spectacle moth, and the metallic-sheened Burnished Brass, alongside a Foxglove Pug (whose caterpillars live inside foxglove flowers) and a Bee Moth (which feeds on wax and pollen inside bumblebee nests)

Hedgehogs and bats were also spotted on the survey nights — both regular moth predators, alongside birds and spiders, underlining moths' role at the heart of the Gardens’ food web. Moths are valuable pollinators too, and are often seen at Hergest by day as well, with visitors regularly spotting Hummingbird Hawk-moths and Silver Y moths on the wing.

The survey was carried out jointly by Hergest Croft Gardens staff Miranda Whitten-Walker and Rebecca Reynolds, Sarah Cadwallader and David Griffith of the Kington branch of Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, and County Moth Recorder Peter Hall. All records are expert-verified before being submitted to the national moth recording database and to the Herefordshire Biological Records Centre.

“Every survey we do here throws up something new, but finding only the second Cloaked Pug ever recorded in Herefordshire was a real thrill,” said Miranda Whitten-Walker, Artist in Residence at Hergest Croft Gardens, who is now working on artworks inspired by some of the moths recorded. “It's a fantastic endorsement of the variety of habitats we have here, from the arboretum's mature trees to the pond and hedgerows. Moth recording is one of the most rewarding ways for anyone to get involved in citizen science, and we'd encourage visitors to come and find out more.”

This latest survey forms part of a longer-term project to monitor invertebrate abundance and diversity at Hergest Croft Gardens. Anyone inspired to try moth recording can find guidance at mothrecording.org or westmidlandsmoths.co.uk, or speak to Hergest Croft Gardens staff, Miranda, Kristie or Rebecca, who run moth surveys at the gardens.