30 years of moth trapping at Woods Mill

, 17 October 2025
30 years of moth trapping at Woods Mill
Poplar Hawk-moth © Millie Brand

On a Wednesday evening, rain or shine, Bob puts out a moth trap in the Woods Mill Nature Reserve garden. Come Thursday morning, the trap is checked, the moths are studied, identified, logged and released. This is Moth Club, and it's been happening here for 30 years. 

In our video, Bob Foreman and Millie Brand of the Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre talk about moth trapping at Woods Mill to celebrate the milestone of this amazing monitoring (2.20min watch).

Video © Kerry Williams
Poplar Hawk-moth image © Millie Brand

Kai Hilton, our Communications Officer, is a Moth Club regular and photographer, and has taken some beautiful shots of the moths found on a Thursday morning. 

Oak Eggar © Kai Hilton
Muslin Moth © Kai Hilton
Clifden Nonpariel (Blue Underwing) © Kai Hilton
Cinnabar Moth © Kai Hilton

(Please note: Moth Club is a casual Sussex Wildlife Trust staff group, and not a public event)

Find out more about Sussex moths at the Sussex Moth Group website

The Sussex Moth Group

Learn more about moth trapping for beginners in this blog shared by the London Wildlife Trust

Beginners Guide to Moth Trapping

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