RSPB INSH MARSHES-DARK BOARDED BEAUTY-HIGHLANDS-SCOTLAND

I have just returned from a fantastic weekend in Scotland with Jenna, where we added many macro moths to our life list. I met up with my good friend James Hunter from Kent, and we spent the entire night trapping. Here are a few of the species we trapped:

Riband Wave

Angle-striped Sallow

Grey Mountain Carpet

Beautiful Golden Y

Plain Clay

Scare Silver Y

Juniper Pug

Twin-spot Carpet

Manchester-treble Bar

Haworth's Minor

Marsh Oblique-barred

July Highflyer

Oblique Carpet

Pretty Pinion

Barred Chestnut

July Belle

The next morning, we attended the Butterfly Conservation moth event focused on the Dark-Bordered Beauty. This species of moth is very rare, existing in only two colonies in Scotland and one in England. One colony can be found in Aberdeenshire, while the other is located at RSPB Scotland Insh Marshes. The Dark-Bordered Beauty was first discovered at Insh Marshes in 2010. In Scotland, these moths exclusively feed on aspen, specifically aspen suckers. Since aspen trees do not often produce seeds, they primarily spread by sending up suckers, which are clone shoots from the tree’s root system. 

Six traps were set up overnight, and we managed to trap over forty Dark-Bordered Beauty.

A fantastic weekend, we were shattered after the drive home, but it was well worth it.