Meet the Night Flyers
Eilidh-Ann has been out observing Highland Moths.
Have you ever noticed when you go out at night in the early summer, the smell is different to the day? At night certain scents seem to begin to rise - even to our poorly constructed senses. The smell of honeysuckle, jasmine and damp earth and with them as you walk across a dewy no mow may lawn, pale wings flicker through the half-light, dozens of small moths on the move.
While butterflies dominate our daylight imagination, moths are doing much of the real ecological work under cover of darkness. The UK is home to over 2,500 species of moth, and in the Highlands that diversity reflects a plethera of different habitats; peatlands, native woodland, machair, and grassland, each supporting its own specialised community.
Among the most captivating are the hawk moths (family Sphingidae), built for speed and precision. If you’re lucky, you might catch the unmistakable presence of a Elephant Hawk-moth, it’s olive and rose-pink colours, almost tropical in appearance, and one of the most striking signals that the night shift has begun! Species like the Elephant Hawk-moth are powerful fliers, capable of travelling long distances and hovering in front of flowers much like hummingbirds. With long proboscises, most hawk moths access deep, tubular flowers that many other insects can’t reach, making them essential pollinators for night-scented plants.
Recent research is beginning to show just how important moths are in pollination networks, and how light pollution maybe impacting their activity. While bees and hoverflies dominate daytime pollination, moths take over at night, often visiting a wide range of plant species and because they fly greater distances, they may also play a disproportionately large role in moving pollen across landscapes which assists the genetic diversity in plant populations.
Why moths matter in the Highlands
In Highland ecosystems, moths sit at the centre of multiple food webs. Their caterpillars are voracious herbivores and in turn, they are a key food source for birds, particularly during the breeding season when chicks rely on soft-bodied insects.
Healthy moth populations are often a sign of a healthy environment. Many species are highly sensitive to changes in land use, climate, and light pollution. Declines in moth numbers across the UK over recent decades have raised concerns, not just for the insects themselves but for the wider ecological consequences. In upland and peatland systems especially, where conditions are already finely balanced, changes in moth communities can ripple outward in unexpected ways.
And yet, despite their importance, most moths pass unseen, their lives lived largely in darkness beyond our usual field of view. That is precisely why recording them matters.
Moths respond rapidly to environmental change, particularly temperature. As conditions shift, many species appear to be moving northwards or may be climbing to higher altitudes.
Careful, repeated recording allows us to track these movements with real precision. Species once scarce in parts of the Highlands are beginning to appear more frequently, while others are quietly retreating from areas they once occupied.
Hawk moths illustrate this well. Powerful fliers such as the Elephant Hawk-moth can disperse over considerable distances, expanding their range quickly when conditions allow. Each record requires a date, a location, and a species, these records help build a picture of how these mobile insects respond to weather patterns, habitat availability, and shifting seasons.
For those starting out recording moths, focusing on larger, more distinctive species is often the easiest way in. Hawk moths, along with other conspicuous “macro-moths”, are easier to see, photograph and identify, making them ideal for building confidence. Their size, bold markings and regular appearance in gardens mean that even a first night with a trap can yield recognisable species, this can be an exciting first step into biological recording, and many people fall in love with these night time fliers.
Over time, these individual observations accumulate into long-term datasets of real scientific value. From them, specialists can detect changes that would otherwise go unnoticed: earlier emergence in spring, altered flight periods, and subtle shifts in distribution across the UK. Patterns begin to emerge, linking moth populations to land management practices, climate trends, and the spread of artificial light.
Because moths sit at the heart of so many food webs, these patterns have wider meaning. Changes in moth abundance can influence breeding success in birds or feeding behaviour in bats, signalling knock-on effects across entire ecosystems.
In a landscape as vast and varied as the Highlands, recording effort is often sparse. This is where local involvement becomes essential. A single trap run in a garden in Ullapool or beside a croft in Caithness can fill critical gaps in our knowledge. Taken together, these records form a living map of biodiversity change and one that is built not just by scientists, but by local people who choose to look more closely at what the night reveals.
Opening a window into the nocturnal world
Opening your moth trap at first light reveals a hidden assemblage, you’ll see intricate patterns, subtle colours, and forms that challenge any idea that these insects are dull or uniform. From tiny “micro-moths” with metallic sheens to larger species with bold camouflage, each one tells a story about habitat, season, and survival.
This is where the High Life Highland Ranger Service is joining forces with the Highlife Highland Green Libraries iniative to not only showcase moths, but to make moth recording more accessible.
To help get you started we will be running ranger-led moth workshops in and around local libraries, covering how to use traps safely, handle moths, and identify common species. They’re practical, informal, and open to anyone. They are also available free as part of the Cultivating Climate Champions funding from SLIC
We’ve started running ranger-led moth workshops to help you get on the journey covering how to use traps safely, handle moths, and identify common species. A full list is at the bottom of this blog.
You can also borrow a moth trap for free from Green Library Hubs in Dingwall, Culloden, Fortrose, Caol, Fort William, Ardnamurchan, Thurso, Wick and Ullapool. Removing the cost barrier makes it easy to try out moth recording for yourself.
Seed libraries at these locations are also encouraging people to grow night-scented, moth-friendly plants, which in turn support the very species you’re recording.
Together, these observations help build a clearer picture of how moth populations and the wider environment are changing, and we hope you will join us in celebrating these most marvelous of Highland’s fliers (scroll down for the list of dates and venues).
Eilidh-Ann Phillips has been a countryside ranger in the wild, captivating expanse of West Lochaber since 1996. Now, as the High Life Highland Senior Ranger for South Highland, she is integral to a vibrant network that connects communities and schools to the nature, inspiring a collective appreciation for wildlife and heritage. Under her guidance, a passionate team of rangers across South Highland is dedicated to conserving the region’s stunning beauty and wilderness, nurturing the next generation of guardians for the area’s breathtaking landscapes.
Moth Morning - Dingwall Library
Dingwall Community Library
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 10:00 AM BST
Night Garden Moth Watch Workshop - Gairloch Area
Gairloch Museum
Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 9:00 AM BST
Marvellous Moths - a moth trapping workshop.
Culloden Library
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 6:00 PM BST
Moth workshop - Assynt Leisure Centre
Assynt Leisure Centre
Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 10:00 AM BST
Marvellous, magical MOTHS at Ardnamurchan Library
Ardnamurchan Community Library
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM BST
Magical Moths - A wildlife discovery workshop at Caol Library, Fort William
Caol Library
Monday, June 22, 2026 at 3:30 PM BST
Marvellous Moths - a Green Libraries ID Workshop
East Caithness Community Facility
Friday, June 26, 2026 at 6:00 PM BST
Moths for beginners at Thurso Library.
Thurso Library
Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 10:30 AM BST
Marvellous, magical, magnificent MOTHS
Grantown on Spey Library
Saturday, June 27, 2026 at 11:00 AM BST
A super project - spreading the joy of a wonderful activity anyone can do - I hope you get a lot of interest and look forward to hearing all about it in a future post maybe?
Lovely article. I am planning to do some moth observation here. I live in the Turkish capital city.
I bought myself a UV torch that I hope will attract moths. I have seen quite a variety of moths in my house during the summertime- they seem to fly inside attracted by the light. I am sure many are making their homes in the trees in the garden outside.