Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Environmental Sustainability at Warwick

Moth survey

  • Moth survey

  • Lesser Swallow Prominent

  • Canary-shouldered thorn

  • White ermine moth

  • Swallowtail moth

Do you think that moths are boring-looking? Join us on our next moth survey on Wednesday 10th June at 9am, and you'll be amazed by the wonderful variety of shapes, sizes and colours!

Unfortunately, many moth species are in decline in the UK. This trend is significant because moths are not only excellent indicator species of environmental health but they are also a vital part of the food chain and many species, including birds and bats, rely on themLink opens in a new window.

We have been doing moth surveys on campus since 2023 and to date we have found over 160 species! As part of our biodiversity work we want to learn about the wildlife we have on campus, and with every new survey we discover previously unrecorded species we can add to our listLink opens in a new window.

As usual, our resident moth enthusiast Dan Hall will lead the activity.

How we survey for moths

We use humane live trapping of moths on campus. The light source of our traps attract moths at night. They are led into the main holding chamber through a funnel-type design, where they can take shelter and keep warm in between the paper egg boxes provided.

We start the ID part of the survey at 9 a.m. the following morning, when we record the species and numbers. We share this information with the county moth recorder of Butterfly Conservation, so that the data are available to the wider conservation and scientific communities.

We open the traps in the same location and release the individuals as soon as they are identified, enabling them to return to their preferred habitat.

Meeting place will be emailed to all registered participants.

This is a Warwick Award recognised activity

This event is open to students and staff. Places are limited so sign-up is essential.

Attending this survey also contributes to the Warwick Award.

Please ensure you read the relevant sections of the Risk AssessmentLink opens in a new window prior to attending the event.

Please note: If the event needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather, we will notify all registered participants by email.

Please wear suitable clothing for being outdoors.

I would like to participate in the moth survey on (required)
By signing up to this event I understand that I will be following the guidance provided by experts and accepting the risks as stated in the Risk Assessment (required)
I consent to the images/recordings of me being used for promotional purposes in the digital communications and print publications mediums listed in the guidance section above. (required)

Privacy notice

This form will be used to manage attendance at an event. Your attendance at the event will be recorded and associated with your name, but no other personally identifiable data will be stored, and the data will not be used for any purpose other than as a record of the event. Please see our Staff Privacy Notice or Student Privacy Notice for further information.

The University of Warwick is the Data Controller of any information you have entered on this form and is committed to protecting the rights of individuals in line with Data Protection Legislation. The University's Data Protection webpages provide further information on your rights and how the University processes personal data. If you wish to submit a data subjects rights request, make a complaint or report a suspected personal data breach, please contact the University’s Data Protection Officer by email at infocompliance@warwick.ac.uk.

Spam prevention

Failure to load reCAPTCHA

reCAPTCHA is a utility used to verify you're not a robot filling out this form. Unfortunately this has failed to load correctly.

Please try reloading the page. If the problem persists, or if you are in a country which blocks Google products, please contact us by using the 'page contact' link at the foot of this page.

Let us know you agree to cookies

We use cookies to give you the best online experience. Please let us know if you agree to functional, advertising and performance cookies. You can update your cookie preferences at any time.

Cookie policy