Rare migrant moths are flocking to Britain to feast on our ivy

Rare migrant moths are flocking to the UK, giving wildlife lovers plenty to feast their eyes on.

Members of the public are being urged to look out for unusual moths from Europe including the scarce silver-striped hawk-moth and Radford’s flame shoulder.

The species have been spotted recently in recent days, along with immigrant species such as the convolvulus hawk-moth and the humming-bird hawk-moth.

And warm weather is expected to bring another surge of migrant moths that are set to feast on ivy blossom across the UK.

As part of this year’s Moth Night,an annual UK-wide event to record moth numbers organised by Atropos, Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), members of the public are being asked to check out patches of ivy after dark to count moths and help gather more information on the plant’s importance to the insects.

Ivy is often a lifeline for moths, butterflies, bees and other pollinators as it flowers late in the year when other sources of nectar are not available.

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Butterfly Conservation head of recording, Richard Fox, said: “A quick check of ivy blossom on a sunny autumn day will reveal bees, hoverflies, butterflies and other insects, all making the most of this seasonal bonanza of nectar.

“After dark, the pollinator nightshift takes place and a myriad of moths come out to feed.”

He added: “For this year’s Moth Night, find some big patches of ivy flowers nearby and go back with a torch after the sun has set. It’s a fantastic and easy way to see some of the beautiful moths that are on the wing in autumn.”