Moths of the Wanstead Area

Until 2012 most of the moths recorded in the Wanstead area had been identified by moth trapping exercises carried out in 2005 and 2006 (click here). During this time 102 species were identified in my garden, which is at the south edge of Wanstead Flats adjacent to Manor Park Cemetery. Most of these I would not have been aware of, apart from those few species that may have been attracted to the lights of the house or those that have been found sheltering in vegetation during the daytime or day-flying moths found casually.

During 2012 a moth trap was again used in my garden in Capel Road and another in Tim Harris' garden in Belgrave Road on the Lakehouse Estate at the other end of Wanstead Flats. In my garden, 156 species were identified, of which 57 were micro moths and 99 macros. The increase in numbers of species over the 2005/6 moth trapping may well have been due to an increase in the number of micro moths identified - this in itself helped a lot by the publication in 2012 of the "Field Guide to the Micro Moths of Great Britain and Ireland", by Sterling, Parsons and Lewington. 26 species were identified that hadn't previously been identified in this area. For a spreadsheet showing the results click here

In 2013 my trap at Capel Road was in use only between 10th April and 19th August. During this time there were 168 species of which 31 were new to me. Tim's trap in Belgrave Road was in use for a considerably longer period and produced 225 species, with 89 being new ones to that trap.

2014 results were down on the previous year, with a total of 221 species recorded in the area. However the lower number is almost certainly due to my not being able to put the trap out after May, and Tim Harris being unable to trap during the busy season of June and July. Amongst the highlights of the year was the finding of an Emperor Moth laying eggs on an egg-box in my trap on 24th April. The eggs hatched, then pupated and the moths - it was hoped - would begin to emerge in 2015. In May, Rose Stephens photographed a Red-belted Clearwing on the curtains of her house in Lorne Road, Forest Gate - the first known record of a Clearwing species in the area.

2015 moth trapping results are not compiled yet, but the first pupa of last year's Emperor Moth hatched in my house on 10th March, followed by numbers of others up until 10th April. All of them were released into vegetation in my garden. Lures were obtained to try to attract Clearwing species, with succesfull results. Yellow-legged, Orange-tailed, Red-belted and Six-belted were all recorded. In addition I was pleased to see a Hornet Clearwing in Goodmayes Park on 12th June, but that is somewhat outside the Wanstead Wildlife area.

 For photos, click here, or - if available (shown in blue) - click on the species name in the list below

For some historical records from the Wanstead area, click here

For spreadsheets showing results of moth trapping exercises click here

Abbreviations: KH = Kathy Hartnett; RS = Roger Snook; TH = Tim Harris     √ = recorded in this year by myself;   + = recorded in this year by another. mt = moth trap. Those species in Red are species that I have not seen.