Trips 2005


Please contact the organiser (or via John Ward or Mark Hammond) to check that the event is going ahead before you set off, especially if the weather looks unsuitable.  Trips may be postponed or cancelled at very short notice.

Night time moth trapping sessions will convene shortly before dusk (unless otherwise stated below). The organisers will remain at the stated meeting point for approximately 15 minutes after the time listed below. As most events involve driving from this meeting point into the site, we cannot guarantee access after that time.

A full list of species recorded will be placed on this site shortly after each trip. Click on each "Location" to view these as links become active.

Please note: Our field events take place mostly at night, outside, and involve 240v/13 amp electrical equipment running mercury vapour lamps. As the bulbs can run at high temperatures there is a very small chance that they may explode and cause injury to persons near to the equipment. Furthermore due to the sometimes rough and uneven terrain on the sites that we are surveying there is a potential risk of injury as a result of tripping, falling or colliding with unseen objects, etc. The group and organisers accept no responsibility for accidents that occur on the trips and all persons attending field meetings do so entirely at their own risk. We also give no guarantee that a qualified first-aider will be present at any field meeting. The organisers usually carry a mobile telephone but reception may be poor or absent depending on the site. Please remember to bring a torch and wear suitable footwear and warm clothing. Children are welcome, but we must ask that an adult supervise them at all times. We hope that anyone interested in moths will give us a try and look forward to seeing you at any of the following events.

Day & Date Location Meeting Point & Time Organiser Target Species
Saturday 9th April Castor Hanglands TF125017 at 7:30pm John Ward Mottled Grey & Barred Tooth-striped (last recorded at Castor Hanglands on 18/4/1986)
Saturday 30th April Collyweston Deeps TF005036 (pull-in on opposite side of road) at 8:15pm Philip Horsnail Northern Drab (last recorded at this site on 20/4/1993) and a search for Lappet larvae on the old blackthorns
Friday 6th May Salcey Forest SP803511 opposite entrance to Salcey Lawn - at 8:15pm  Mark Hammond  Marbled Pug & Scarce Prominent
Friday 10th June Twywell Hills & Dales Reserve car park SP937772 at 8:30pm Mark Hammond  Light Feathered Rustic and The Four-spotted
Friday 24th June Bedford Purlieus South of site at TL038986 at 9:15pm Philip Horsnail Sharp-angled Peacock and The Festoon
Friday 1st July Yardley Chase Please contact Jeff Blincow for admission to this site Jeff Blincow  Concolorous and Mere Wainscot
NB: The site has restricted access and only Northamptonshire Moth Group Members are invited. For details contact Jeff Blincow.
Due to restricted access, this event will finish at 4am
Saturday 9th July Twywell Hills & Dales Reserve car park SP937772 at 9:00pm Mark Hammond National Moth Night
Chalk Carpet and Heart & Club
Friday 15th July Priors Hall Quarry ("Wonderworld Site" near Corby) SP918913 at 9:15pm. Gretton Road, opposite Weldon Lodge John Ward Small Seraphim and Triple-spotted Clay
Friday 29th July Titchmarsh Lakes NR TL007812 (lakes car park) at 8:45pm Mark Hammond Dingy Shell, Dog's Tooth and Small Rufous
Friday 5th August Bedford Purlieus South of site at TL038986 at 8:30pm Mark Hammond White-spotted Pinion and Square-spotted Clay
Friday 9th September Pitsford Reservoir Bottom of "Mere Road" - SP783707 at 7:30pm Philip Horsnail Pale-lemon Sallow & Dusky-lemon Sallow
Saturday 1st October Badby Wood SP565589 at 6:30pm Mark Hammond Trip cancelled
Saturday 5th November Hazelborough SP660431 (just off the north-bound slip road off A43) at 4:30pm Mark Hammond

Postponed due to bad weather

Plumed Prominent & Dotted Chestnut

N.B: The target species include some optimistic long shots as some of the sites have never been properly worked. Few records exist for Twywell Hills & Dales and Deenethorpe Airfield and no records whatsoever exist for the canal area at Stoke Bruerne. Part of the attraction of mothing lies in its unpredictability and as we have all found previously totally unexpected species do turn up and even common moths do not always come to order.

We would like to acknowledge the co-operation that all of us have received from the Forestry Commission to record in their woodlands.