A BUTTERFLY conservation group is celebrating national moth night by inviting the public to Chaddesley Wood to search the woodland for particular types of moths.

West Midlands Butterfly Conservation and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust aim to help conserve and monitor moth distribution in the county, with Chaddesley Wood being home to hundreds of the species, including the Lobster moth.

Richard Fox, butterfly conservation head of surveys, said: “Chaddesley Wood is one of the best county sites for moths.

“The Lobster moth, whose caterpillar bears an uncanny resemblance to the edible crustacean, is just one of hundreds of weird and wonderful moth species found in our woods.

“Woodlands are very important habitats and many have never been surveyed for moths.

“Around two thirds of the UK’s larger moths can be found in wooded areas and there are many woodland specialists - some 37 per cent of threatened UK moths are associated with woodland.”

The majority of British moths have declined rapidly over the last 40 years so conservation groups are asking the public to send in records of woodland moths during the night.

Mr Fox said: “We know that British moths are generally in decline but the causes are unclear.

“Better monitoring of woodland would help clarify whether woodland moths are declining and what the causes might be.”

Moth night in Chaddesley Wood takes place on Saturday (July 5), meeting at the Jubilee Gate at 8.30pm.

For more information contact Mervyn Needham on 01562 77746, or Alan Prior on 0121 778 2973.