大象传媒

The RSPB Reserve at Stour Wood near Manningtree is a good place to see moths and butterflies.

Stour Wood is a top site for moths

"Personally, I think it is one of the best in Essex if not almost the best in Essex," says warden Rick Vonk.

Rick puts its success down partially to the proliferation of wild flowers and its huge variety of trees.

Several years ago, a dozen or so traps were put in the wood.听 The result was more than 250 species of moth recorded in one night.

"I think that makes it the third highest total ever recorded.听 Certainly, the highest in Essex as far as I know," adds Rick.听 "So that kind of tells me that it's one of the best places you can get for moths."

No moths are hurt

Although moths and butterflies are quite similar, there are a few differences.听 Most species of moth fly at night, whilst butterflies only fly during the day.

"Butterflies, generally when you look at them have a strong directional flight.听 Moths seem to flutter.听 They don't seem to have such GPS navigation as butterflies," explains Rick.

Moth hunt

On moth nights people are encouraged to wear warm hats, partially for the bright light but also so they don't get the moths flying into their faces.

"They're completely harmless.听 It's just one of those things, if you're worried about it stay out of the way," says Rick.

Moths also have some wonderful names.听

Moths will start appearing from 9.30pm

"I think many of these names were invented in the Victorian times when people let their imaginations run wild.听 On Saturday night we found green silverlines, a fairly common moth in here.听 It is green and it has silver lines on it," explains Rick.

"There's the silver y which is just starting to appear in people's gardens, that's a day flying moth.听 Strangely enough it has a 'y' on its side and is silver," he adds.

The rarest moth is the olive crescent, which is very dull looking with an olive crescent on its side.听 There are about 800 macro moths, the larger species, and 2000 moths in total.

大象传媒 Essex's Renee Hockley-Byam has been along to find out from Warden Rick Vonk what's involved.听 Click on the link below to hear more.

The moth night at the RSPB Stour Estuary Reserve takes place on Saturday, 11, July from 9.30pm til late.听 It costs 拢4 per adult and 拢2 per child, with a 拢1 discount for RSPB and RSPB Wildlife Explorer members. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information call 01473 328006 or e-mail stourestuary@rspb.org.uk