UNCOVERING SHERFORD’S NOCTURNAL WILDLIFE

Moth Discovery and ID Workshop

A blog by Friends of Sherford Country Park

Sherford Country Park was the setting for a fascinating night of wildlife discovery recently, as the Friends of Sherford Country Park (FoSCP) joined forces with Devon Moth Group for a special Moth Discovery and ID Workshop.

With plenty of moth traps set up across Sherford Country Park, the evening gave FoSCP volunteers a fantastic opportunity to get hands-on with moth recording and learn more about the fascinating nocturnal wildlife living right on our doorstep.

Setting the Traps

 The evening began with David and Andy from Devon Moth Group setting up a selection of different moth traps, with help from FoSCP volunteers. David and Andy shared their expertise, explaining how the traps work, what species might be expected at Sherford, and what the team would be looking for when the traps were checked.

For our volunteers, it was a chance to get involved from the very beginning - learning how moth trapping works while getting a glimpse into the world of ecological recording. Once the traps were safely in place, there was nothing more to do but wait. Well… for most of us, anyway!

While our volunteers headed off to bed, David and Andy had a much less restful night ahead. The traps needed to be checked in the early hours, with the first inspection taking place at around 04:00.

The Morning Reveal

When the traps were checked on Saturday morning, we couldn't believe our eyes - they were brimming with moths of all shapes, sizes and patterns, revealing just how much nocturnal life is thriving within Sherford Country Park!

And that was just the beginning.

As morning arrived, the FoSCP volunteers and Devon Moth Group got to work recording the species we'd discovered, fuelled by plenty of coffee and, naturally, bacon sandwiches! By the end of the session, we had recorded more than 130 different moth species, including a number of migrant and rare species. It was an incredible result and a fantastic first insight into the moth population at Sherford.

David Pakes from Devon Moth Group said:

“This was a really good start for recording the moth population at Sherford! It really was one of the highlights of the year for us!”

 Connecting our Community to Nature

 But the morning wasn't just about recording. Once the community began to arrive, it was time to share our discoveries with the residents of Sherford. We invited local people to come along and witness the great moth ‘reveals’ as we opened the remaining traps and continued identifying and recording the species we'd found.

There was plenty to talk about! Our visitors were able to discover why moths are so important, learn about some of the species we'd found, and explore the wonderfully imaginative names given to these often-overlooked creatures. For children and adults alike, it was a brilliant opportunity to get up close to wildlife that most of us rarely see.

Some of the larger moths could even be handled - very gently, of course - allowing participants to appreciate their intricate patterns, colours and incredible adaptations up close. For younger visitors, there was plenty more to discover, with colouring activities, moth identification guides and model moth and butterfly life cycles helping to bring the world of insects to life.

Eleanor Goodall from Friends of Sherford Country Park said:

“Events like this really show why bringing our community closer to nature matters. Seeing children’s eyes light up as they hold their first moth, or discover new ways they can support their local park, is such a joy. It’s wonderful to see that sense of curiosity and care take root!”

Why Moths Thrive at Sherford

The morning also gave us an opportunity to talk about why Sherford Country Park is such a wonderful place for moths.

The variety of habitats found across the Country Park provides food, shelter and breeding opportunities for a huge range of insects. The sheer diversity recorded during this first session has given us an exciting glimpse of what might be living here - and provides a fantastic starting point for future moth recording.

It was also a reminder that biodiversity isn't always something we need to travel far to experience. Sometimes, it is right outside our front door, waiting for us to stop and take a closer look.

Releasing the Moths

As the sun climbed higher into the sky, it was time for our moth friends to return home.

The children were particularly fantastic at this part of the morning, carefully and gently releasing moths from their pots and watching them disappear back into Sherford Country Park.

After a busy night and morning, the moths could finally settle back into their daytime hiding places - while we were left with a fantastic collection of records, new knowledge and a renewed appreciation for these remarkable creatures.

One of our participants said:

“It was a great event! I didn’t even know that there were this many species of moth in the UK… apparently there over 2,600!”

A Successful Event

Overall, the Moth Discovery and ID Workshop was a huge success, achieving both of the main aims we set out to accomplish.

Firstly, the event allowed us to continue recording the wildlife and biodiversity within Sherford Country Park, building an increasingly detailed picture of the species that call the Country Park home. Recording more than 130 moth species was a brilliant result and provides valuable information for future monitoring.

Secondly, and just as importantly, the event gave us the opportunity to engage our community in all things ‘moth’! From discovering why moths matter and learning how they are recorded, to seeing these incredible creatures up close and helping to release them back into the Country Park, it was wonderful to see so many people sharing in our enthusiasm for these fascinating insects.

We couldn't have achieved either of these aims without the incredible knowledge and expertise of Andy and David from Devon Moth Group, who gave their time, energy and enthusiasm to help us discover what was flying around Sherford after dark.

And, of course, we couldn't have done it without the fantastic support of our Friends of Sherford Country Park volunteers, who helped set up the traps, record the moths, welcome members of the community and make the whole event possible.

A huge thank you to everyone involved - and to everyone who came along and helped make it such a memorable morning!

Janet Burgess from Friends of Sherford Country Park said:

“We are grateful to South Hams District Council for the funding which enabled us to run the event and purchase a moth trap for future surveying.”

This is just the beginning of our journey to better understand and celebrate the biodiversity of Sherford Country Park. With more than 130 species of moth discovered in a single session, we're already wondering what other nocturnal wildlife might be waiting for us to uncover!

Watch this space - there's plenty more wildlife to discover, right on your doorstep!