During a year your average garden can attract a handful of butterfly species, but you may be surprised to hear that the same area can attract over 100 moth species at night! The study of moths is fast becoming a popular hobby for wildlife enthusiasts and August is the best time to see them in the greatest numbers and species. There is a variety of ways to get a closer look at this diverse group of night-flying lepidoptera - many of which are relatively inexpensive and a great way to amuse kids over the summer break.

It is well known that moths are attracted to lights at night and this principle is used in moth traps. Although there is a variety of designs and light bulb types, they all work in the same way - attracting moths by a light and funnelling the moth as it reaches the bulb into a holding box. There are two main types of bulb used - mercury vapour (MV) and actinic. MV bulbs generally have the highest catch rate but run hot and are very bright. A MV trap may not always be welcomed by your neighbours as it runs all night in your garden. They are also fairly power hungry so require a mains power source or generator. Actinic traps tend to be more portable, often running on only a 12V battery, but generally have a lower catch rate. But actinic bulbs will still attract the same species as an MV bulb. In addition to different bulb types there are different trap designs. Some are better at retaining the catch and so can be left unattended all night. The Robinson MV is one of the best for catch rates and catch retention. Other traps are far more designed for portability and can be completely collapsible such as the Heath and Johnson traps. Moth trapping is best done on warm, still, cloudy nights – ideal for balmy August evenings.

There are a few other methods to attract moths at night. A great way to get kids into moths is to simply hang up a large white sheet in your garden and shine a large torch on it. As the moths are attracted to the light they land on the sheet where you can catch them to get a closer look for identification. Alternatively you can use sugar traps – boil up a mixture of dark stout, dark molasses sugar and dark treacle. Once cooled it can be stored in a jar and painted on fence post or tree trunks. As you check throughout the night moths will land to feed on the sticky substance. There are some species of moth that are rarely attracted by light traps and so this is a great way to see different moths. Rotting fruit can also be used to attract moths in a similar way to tropical butterflies.

If you don’t fancy scrambling around at night trying to catch moths to see what species you have in your area, finding moth larvae during the day may be more appealing. Beating is one favoured method – a beating tray (essentially a white sheet stretched across a frame) is held under a tree or shrub which is then knocked. The larvae are then dislodged from the plant and caught on the beating tray for capture and identification. Alternatively you can use a sweep net (a kind of heavy-duty butterfly net) which is swept back and forth across the top of vegetation such as grasses and heather.

The average garden may attract around 100 moth species but more favoured spots can attract 200-300 species. You can encourage moths to your garden by establishing a wide range of native plants. These can provide food for larval stages. Adult moths are generally nectar feeders so planting night scented plants such as Nicotiana could attract more moths to an area. So whether you're chasing all those elusive species in your region or simply encouraging a diverse range to your garden, enjoy moth this August!