Welcome to the Sussex Moth Group website

Recording for The National Moth Atlas

Following the publication of the National Moth Recording Scheme’s Provisional Atlas of the UK’s Larger Moths, they will be publishing an atlas ‘proper’ in 2018. So, we have three mothing seasons to get out in the ﬁeld and ﬁll some of those under-recorded 10km squares to show how great Sussex is! We have created a map showing the under-recorded squares (post-2000), and a list of likely sites to head for in the under-recorded 10km squares. Some of the events in our events calendar have been targeted at these under-recorded squares.

Click HERE or on the map to visit the Atlas Recording page.

The main intention of this site is to provide as accurate and up to date a picture as is possible of the status, distribution and phenology of all the species of moth that have been recorded in Sussex.

The site aims to provide, not only up to date information and news on moths and mothing events in Sussex but also, on our sightings page, an insight into the more interesting moth species that are being recorded by our members. For more information on both butterfly and moth sightings go to the Sightings Page on the Sussex Branch of Butterfly Conservation's website.

*NEW* For the January 2014 edition of Butterfly Conservation's "E-moth newsletter" go to the Downlaods page.

SMG logo, designed by Tim Freed

The Aims of the Sussex Moth Group:

To promote the study of Sussex moths
To educate and inspire young naturalists
To protect and enhance the environment for the benefit of moths
To develop good relations with other ecological agencies
To increase awareness of the importance of insects generally

New features:

Photo checklist
A quick reference to all the species on the site of which we have photographs and of which stage.

"Home Squares"
If you regularly trap at the same site and your records are included in the SxBRC's data then you can highlight your local square here. You will need to register on the site first though (if you haven't already done so).

Sightings Page (see box below)
Keep up-to-date with the latest news and reports on some of the more interesting species turning up in Sussex.

Richer data
The data has now been updated to include many records from 2011 (thanks Penny) and now contains nearly half a million records, it has been (and continues to be) thoroughly validated to exclude as many errors as possible. Not only that, but now the distribution maps and phenology charts for each species can be queried to show records for various date-ranges, immature stages (phenology only - if the records exist), and the details for named forms, aberrations and subspecies.

The "Species search" on the left of each page on the site allows you to look for a particular species by starting to type its name (either vernacular or scientific) in the Species? box. The search results appear automatically in the box below. Simply click on the name of the species you are looking for and you will be directed to its page.

The "Quick finder" allows you to select all the members on the British list of any particular family, the species with an entry on this site will appear as hyperlinks in bold.

The presence of a diamond (♦) next to a search result indicates there is a record for that species for today, 27 January, in the database and so therefore it is currently within its flight season.

The box above, right lists the ten most frequently recorded species on this day in Sussex, the species are listed in order of frequency, the arrows indicate the change in rank from the previous day.

Current photo count: 3370 images of 1242 species.

* well, hopefully...

Most recorded species on:
27 January

Chestnut, Conistra vaccinii
Early Moth, Theria primaria
Pale Brindled Beauty, Phigalia pilosaria
DOWN Winter Shade, Tortricodes alternella
DOWN Common Flat-body, Agonopterix heracliana
DOWN Spring Usher, Agriopis leucophaearia
Golden Pigmy, Stigmella aurella
Mottled Umber, Erannis defoliaria