MOTH TRAPPING AT THE HIGHLAND LODGE HOTEL, GAIRLOCH, 2012-2025
n 2012, with strong encouragement from the owner Alastair Pearson, a moth surveying programme was started in the grounds of the Highland Lodge Hotel as part of the overall Wester Ross (Vice County 105) moth recording activities on behalf of Butterfly Conservation, Scotland.
The site chosen was a small area of mixed woodland dominated by Birch. The results have been of exceptional interest for such a small site sampled only occasionally. A total of 6178 moths have so far been captured and released, representing 189 species. This in itself is not remarkable, but some of the species are of special interest.
Moth surveying is one tool used in the monitoring of environmental change. Changes in species distribution, either range expansion or contraction, may reflect the impact of climate change and/or other factors such as, for example, change in land use. Noting the arrival of new species in an area where they were previously not recorded is thus of potential importance to our understanding of ecological change.
Since 2012 the Highland Lodge has contributed the following indications of possible species shift:
2016 – the first Scallop Shell moth recorded in VC 105
2017 – the first Purple Thorn moth recorded in VC 105
2021- the first Oak Beauty moth recorded in VC 105
2022 – one of the first five Pale Pinion Moths to be recorded in VC 105
2024 – three specimens of the Buff Footman, a moth that was first recorded in the VC in 2022
All of these moths are known to be expanding their range in Scotland.
In addition:
2025 – the site has produced 8 specimens of the Scorched Wing moth in two weeks. This is another range expanding species but with total VC records of only 28 moths in 24 years.
The site has also yielded:
Three Green Silver-lines (35 VC records 1992-2025)
Six Merveille du Jour (42 VC records 1992-2024)
Three Saxon moths (112 VC records 1977-2025)
Two Pebble Hook-tip moths (48 VC records 1978-2025)
In summary, the site is an exciting place to trap, as you never know what might turn up.
Click on this button for a list of the species caught between 2012 and 2024, and photographs of the species cited are also included.