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Rare Moth Found After 80 Years in Northamptonshire
4 Feb
Summary
- A rare moth species has been discovered, last seen in the county in 1940.
- University student Jamie Waller found the moth during fieldwork for her dissertation.
- The discovery highlights the ecological importance of moths as pollinators.
A rare moth, the Hollyhock Seed Moth, has been rediscovered in Northamptonshire after an absence of more than 80 years. University of Northampton student Jamie Waller found the species during fieldwork for her dissertation at Delapre Abbey.
The moth had not been recorded in the county since 1940, with only three previous sightings dating back to 1906. Waller's 13-week study involved ethical moth trapping methods, leading to the identification of between 1,300 and 1,500 moths.
The findings, logged with the Northamptonshire Moth Group, were verified by a county moth recorder. Waller emphasized the ecological significance of moths as nocturnal pollinators, a role frequently overshadowed by butterflies.
