Udimore village voice

Last Saturday morning 14 members of Udimore Wildlife Society met at Beauchamps to inspect and admire the catch resulting from the previous night’s moth trapping.

Despite some rain soon after nightfall, a large number of moths, of some twenty different species, had been attracted to Matty’s extremely bright mercury vapour light and had come to rest among the loose pile of eggboxes awaiting them in the trapping chamber below. Most spectacular of these were the Privet Hawkmoths and Garden Tigers, but every species has its own appeal: even the dullest-looking little moth can reveal exquisitely detailed patterning when inspected under a magnifying glass. Their common English names (a legacy from Victorian moth collectors) are another source of interest, some referring to a feature of their markings, others to their individual life cycles - Hebrew Character and Sallow Kitten for example. The moths were then safely released back into the garden.

This Sunday, being the first in the month, at 11.15am there will be a Family Service for All in St Mary’s Church, followed by light refreshments.