{"id":476,"date":"2009-08-15T18:10:58","date_gmt":"2009-08-15T23:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rdnhs.org.uk\/blog\/?p=476"},"modified":"2009-08-28T05:46:14","modified_gmt":"2009-08-28T10:46:14","slug":"mothing-night-at-basildon-park-15th-august-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rdnhs.org.uk\/blog\/mothing-night-at-basildon-park-15th-august-2009\/","title":{"rendered":"Mothing night at Basildon Park – 15th August 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Society’s annual moth-trapping night was held at the National Trust’s Basildon Park this year on Saturday 15th<\/sup> August. Members arrived at Coddesdon Lodge, on the north-west side of the park, as dusk was beginning to fall. It is an area of mixed woodland with mature oaks and ash trees. Bright mercury vapour lights were set up in rides close to the edge of the woodland, with open grass parkland beyond. As soon as it became dark, a wide variety of moths began to fly in to the lights. The thorn moths are particularly attractive, with jagged-edged wings which are held in a characteristic partly-open position. Three different kinds of thorns were seen – numerous Dusky Thorns and two each of Canary-shouldered Thorn and September Thorn. A single White-point was recorded. This moth used to be classed as a migrant, but in recent years a local breeding population appears to have become established in Berkshire. Most of the party had departed by midnight, but leader Norman Hall stayed overnight to supervise his moth traps. In all, 77 species of moth were identified.<\/p>\n