Pick plants that have nighttime appeal to attract these nocturnal wonders
Butterflies and bees make headlines when it comes to gardening for wildlife but moths are just as important for the biodiversity in our gardens and the wider countryside. Not only do they pollinate plants, they’re also an important part of the food chain, providing food for bats, birds and invertebrates – but their numbers are in decline. More than 60 species of moth were lost from Britain in the 20th century, with habitat loss one of the major factors.
Moths tend to be dismissed as being drab but many are just as colourful as butterflies, and while the larvae of some can become pests, this is only a very small number of the more than 2,500 different moth species that can be seen in this country. While most moths fly at night, there are those, such as the brightly coloured tiger moth and the summer migrant, the hummingbird hawk-moth, that are day-flying.
In fact, in the UK there are more day-flying moth species than there are butterflies.
Many moths have wonderful names, such as drinker, mother of pearl, swallow prominent and red-necked footman.
They often have incredible camouflage too; for instance, the buff-tip looks remarkably like a birch branch, the peppered moth ‘disappears’ when resting during the day on a lichen-covered tree trunk and the Chinese character moth mimics the appearance of a bird dropping with its wing colours and patterns, to avoid being eaten. And hawk-moths are impressive due to their size – they can be as big as the palm of your hand!
Top tips to bring in the moths
Perfect plants
There are moths flying throughout the year, so having a broad diversity of plants will provide food and shelter for the widest array of creatures. Plants with night-scented flowers that are white or pale-coloured which are easier to see in low light, or plants with tubular flowers which moths can access with their long pr
