Saturday 29th June 2019, 11:00am-4:00pm

Contact

57.265235084695, -4.9848510517822

Choreutis diana – the “Inverness Twitcher” Survey

 

Saturday 29th June

and/or

Sunday 30th June

11. 00am – 4pm Glen Affric

Background

Choreutis diana is a small day-flying moth that is only known in the UK from Glen Affric.  It was first discovered in the glen near Fasnakyle in 1917 but is now only known from around the Forestry Commission’s car park at the top of the glen. 

The moth is associated with young birch trees upon which the moth’s caterpillars betray their presence in a characteristic spinning.

The adult moths are on the wing from around the end of July through to about mid-August.

We need you help to help determine the current status of the moth in the Glen. 

We plan to look for the larval spinnings on suitable trees around the car park and then elsewhere in the glen.  Hopefully attendees will go on to look for the caterpillars in adjacent glens and also for adult moths later in the year. 

We also plan to have run some moth traps the night before so we will be unveiling some of their contents to attendees on arrival.

Meeting place and timings

We will meet at the Forestry Commission’s car park at the top of Glen Affric (Grid reference NH200233) at 11am, on both the Saturday and Sunday and search for the characteristic feeding signs until around 4pm.  The car park lies between Loch Affric and Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin.

What’s needed

Plenty of sunshine, packed lunch, stout walking shoes and a good sense of humour!  Midge repellent and/or a midge hood and a hand lens may also be useful.

Want to make a weekend of it?

For those that want to stay overnight on the Friday and/or Saturday night we have hired the Trees for Life Athnamulloch bothy which is situated at the west end of Loch Affric.  For more information about the bothy see https://treesforlife.org.uk/forest/hiring-athnamulloch/  If you are interested in staying over then please contact Tom as places and transport to the bothy are limited.

Booking

It is not necessary to book if you are just coming for one or both of the days but it would be useful to know if you intend to come along.

For more information contact

Tom Prescott Butterfly Conservation Scotland

Email: @email

Tel: 01540 661469.  Mob: 07979 785665 (NB I may not have a signal on the day at the top end of Glen Affric).