Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

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THE MOTHS OF MISSON CARR

It was recognised in the early 1990’s that Misson Training Area was of high importance for wildlife and following a moth trapping session it became clear that the moth fauna was special in a county context.

Subsequent trapping sessions were organised and these not only increased the knowledge of the moths, but showed that the site was really something special in a national context. This was confirmed by a session with three mercury Vapour traps set on National Moth Night in July 1999. Misson came second in the country for the most species recorded beaten only by a recognised site in the south which had 17 traps operating that night. Dr Sheila Wright from the Nottinghamshire Biological Records Centre compiled a report on the moths of Misson and in 1997 the site was declared as a Site of Special Scientific Interest by English Nature. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust subsequently purchased the site and it became Misson Carr Nature Reserve. In order that a management plan could be formulated further moth surveying was carried out during 2002 in conjunction with Dr Paul Waring, a professional ecologist and national expert on moths. Several visits were made and some daytime searching for larvae and day-flying moths was carried out. as a result of this new species were added to the species list. The total list of macro moths now stands at 250 and for micro moths the total is approaching 90 making it the most important site in Nottinghamshire for this group of invertebrates.

Moths of national conservation concern are listed below with their conservation status categories.

Red-tipped Clearwing Nb Dentated Pug Na

Marsh Carpet Na Angle-Striped Sallow Nb

Cream-bordered Green Pea Nb Dry-field Neb Nb

White-strap Sober Nb Spotted Cloaked Bell Nb

Sulphur Pearl Nb Lucid Pearl Na

Waved Black Nb

Thirty six Species of moth have been recorded which are classified as nationally local and these include several Nottinghamshire rarities.

Lesser Cream Wave – only recorded at one other site in Nottinghamshire

Striped Wainscot – only recorded at one other site in Nottinghamshire

Grass Rivulet – there are only two other sites in Nottinghamshire for this moth

Southern Wainscot - only recorded at one other site in Nottinghamshire

Blackneck – there are two other sites in Nottinghamshire which support this species and both are in the same 10 kilometre square as Misson.

Saltern Ear – Only the one Nottinghamshire record – a moth caught at Misson in 1991

Marbled White Spot - only recorded at one other site in Nottinghamshire

In addition the site holds a further 41 species of moth which are very rare in Nottinghamshire.

A comprehensive listing of all the species so far recorded at Misson is in preparation and will be available to interested parties in due course.