Tackling my fear on Insect Week!

Ever since our intern Kaitlyn was young, she had a small fear of insects. Since starting her journey with the Wildlife Trust to become an ecologist, she has started to battle her fear, and even started to take an interest in the invertebrate world. During her internship, she decided to take the next leap.

As it was insect week this week, I was focusing on looking out for all the creepy crawlies around the reserve. And wow! Once you start to look, they seem to pop up everywhere like magic. There were mullein moth caterpillars chewing on some figwort plants outside the classroom, ladybug larvae and pupae sunbathing on stinging nettles as far as the eye could see, Roesel's bush-crickets chirping outside the office, and even a purple hairstreak out in the carpark greeting us!

Close-up of a large caterpillar, pale blue/white with yellow marks and black spots

Mullein moth caterpillar on figwort at Ramsey Heights

Roesel's Bush Cricket - Vaughn Matthews

A purple hairstreak butterfly, wings closed on a leaf

Purple hairstreak butterfly - c.Philip Precey

So, it was the perfect week to try out a moth trap with Forest school! I was so excited for today as I’ve never used a moth trap before. Some of the kids were just as excited as me, wanting to see what was hiding in this large, ominous box. However, some were a bit scared (very understandable) and backed away, preparing themselves, ready to run for the hills.

As soon as the box opened, a few burst out, trying to escape back into the undergrowth. When we finally peered in, we found loads hanging onto the walls or hiding out in the egg boxes. All the moths were gorgeous, assorted in all sorts of sizes, shapes, colours, and patterns. Armed with some bug pots, I attempted to usher a few in for everyone to see…. however, I was a bit scared. I used to have a phobia of bugs when I was young, something I am slowly forcing myself to overcome but unfortunately it was kicking my butt today. I kept flinching when they flew straight for my face, and my hands were shaking when I got near them, partly scared they would fly at me, partly scared I would hurt them! I did end up trapping a few (although some did escape with how bad my moth catching skills were).

Once in the pots where you could get a close-up view, they were… ADORABLE. The buggy eyes, and cute antennas, I couldn’t stop looking. Some of the kids were crowding around, exchanging bug pots to look, and used the microscope for an even closer look. By the end, most of them went off to do some other activities, so it was left to just me and one other to release them all back into the safety and cover of the vegetation. I stood there, shaking while slowly tapping out the boxes, willing them to fly straight into the undergrowth and not at my face.

A small brown-grey moth in a bug pot, with big round eyes, long brown antennas, and dark legs.

Small light brown, almost yellowish, fluffy moth in a bug pot. Has big, round eyes, light coloured legs, and short antennas

Close up view of a Garden Tiger moth (bright red and orange fuzzy head, white wings with brown splodges, long cream antennas).)

Now that I'd had a taste, I went a bit moth crazy, deciding to join a moth survey on Friday with the monitoring and research volunteers. My main goal was to watch and try to learn the giant list of moth species, so I stood guard with my pen and book, watching these eight or so massive boxes full to the brim of moths. I felt like I jumped from the tutorial straight to the final boss battle.

This time, they were massive moths such as the Garden Tiger moth, or Eyed Hawkmoths. I did feel quite skittish during this survey as they were flying around and were released right by the boxes, so they were everywhere. One even ended up my trousers! Gathering my courage, I finally held a moth! Albeit a micro moth… but I still did it. A volunteer even offered me an Elephant hawkmoth to try and hold… but I sadly chickened out.

A large moth on an egg box, with large wings that are light brown, and a dark brown stripe down the body. Someone is gently pulling the wings back to show off the blue eyes that are found on the underwings

Eyed hawkmoth on an egg box

Elephant Hawkmoth

The underside of a moth inside a bug pot. It is dark brown, with big round eyes, a curled up tongue, and 6 legs spread out clinging onto the plastic

Flame moth

Small moth in a bug pot. It has metallic, shiny looking green wings, brown spots, and a fluffy brown body.

Burnished Brass moth

Small light brown moth, with speckled pattern of a slightly lighter, more whiter colour. It has subtle darker brown spots, 2 on each wing.

Uncertain moth (yes that is the species name!)

A small dark brown-red fluffy moth on a hand walking up to the arm. There is a snake tattoo down the arm.

Back at Forest School, we undertook another moth trap. I now felt ready for anything and helped Lucy (another intern) who was also scared. Together, we joined forces to tackle our fears.

Lucy held her first micro moth, shaking but still happy to have done it. I tackled the (slightly) bigger moths, holding Ruby Tigers, Common Footman, and a Dark Arches moth. When it came to put the moths back to the undergrowth, I was just sticking my hand into the ominous box, allowing moths to crawl onto me, and then set them free. Very different to last time. In just a week, I felt like I had grown a lot with being around moths. Now to tackle my next fear….

Guide to make wine ropes and a light trap for moths

If you'd like to look for moths, you don't have to have any special equipment and you don't have to trap them. Hanging a white sheet and shining a bright light can attract lots of insects, or lure them in with some tasty wine ropes. Moths don't only fly at night either. The Wildlife Trust BCN has this hand guide to day-flying moths. Take some good photos if you can, and record your sightings on iRecord.

If you don't want to do it by yourself, remember you can join our Creatures of the Night event where we'll be looking for all sorts of noctural animals, including moths.