For the first time ever, our Object of the Week is a living creature, the discovery of which is a milestone for North East biodiversity.
An award-winning nature reserve in the North-East, has identified its 500th species of moth - the Reed Minor.
The 500th moth sighting at RSPB Saltholme, in Stockton, is only the fourth time the species has been recorded in County Durham and the first sighting in 50 years - the very first was more than 100 years ago in 1881.
The moth's larvae, which feed inside the leaves and stems of bur-reeds have not been found on the reserve so experts are unsure if it is a breeding species at the reserve or a wanderer.
The sighing comes as National Moth Week is about to get underway, running from July 20 to 28, an event held annually to promote a wider understanding and appreciation of moths worldwide.
Reed Minor (Orthotelia sparganella) is a species that lives in wetland habitats. It is a small moth, being only about one centimetre long, with brown forewings and pale veins, holding its wings in a tent-like posture.
RSPB Saltholme is renowned for its rich wetland habitats, where the nature reserve's expert conservationists have meticulously created the right conditions for these pollinators to thrive, establishing wetlands and reedbeds that provide the perfect habitats for an array of important species.
The reserve’s reedbeds and ponds also host several locally significant moth species, including the nationally scarce Water-plantain Straw and various wainscot species such as the Twin-spotted Wainscot. Adding to this impressive roster is the Sweet Grass Miner, which reserve Warden, Ed Pritchard, says looks to be the most northerly UK sighting of this species to date.
Ed said: “Finding the Reed Minor was exciting as it demonstrates the value of the wetlands and the conservation work we are carrying out here.
"Almost invisible to most people, moths are fascinating creatures and a window into the wider world of insects and biodiversity. We tend to underappreciate what they do for us.
“Lots of flowering plants for example, evolved to rely on insects, so without moths, butterflies, bees, flies, and beetles, lured in by their nectar and pollen, we wouldn’t have our abundance of plant life. Many of our food crops rely on insects too.
"Put simply, without moths and other pollinators, biodiversity and agriculture would collapse.”
Regular monitoring of moths at RSPB Saltholme began in 2013, when 161 moth species were recorded. Since then, monitoring has been happening on a regular basis, using moth traps, set up at night, to help improve knowledge and understanding of them.
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Chris Francis, Senior Site Manager, RSPB Saltholme, said: “Whilst recording our 500th moth species is great news; our insect populations are under threat, and we need to do so much more to reverse this decline, tackling climate change as well as creating the right conditions for these species to thrive.”
The RSPB is calling on the public to do more to help moths and other insects, by stopping using pesticides in gardens, planting only native species that larvae can feed on, planting flowers that provide nectar as well as allowing wild areas to grow; most ‘weed’ species will provide a food source for something.
RSPB Saltholme is offering moth-trapping events this month to encourage visitors to find out more about them. Follow their Facebook page for more details.
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