Many nature lovers eagerly await the first butterflies of spring. But what about the first moths? There’s not really much difference between a moth and a butterfly, but moths don’t always get the same attention. Maybe it’s because many of them are active at night, when they’re harder to see – though more than 150 UK moths can be spotted out and about in daylight hours.

Some moths have been active for weeks already, their season already over before the butterflies have really begun. Others are just now starting to emerge. Each month brings new moths, so there’s always something to discover. Let’s meet a few of March’s marvelous moths!
 

That’s not a butterfly…

On sunny spring days, look to the tops of birch trees and you might spy a spark of orange drifting through the branches. It could easily be mistaken for a butterfly, but these are the colourful hindwings of a day-flying moth, the orange underwing. When the moth settles, this vibrant orange mostly disappears beneath the mottled brown forewings – much better for camouflaging against a tree trunk. They sometimes descend to the ground to bask or drink from puddles, offering the opportunity to admire them more closely.

Orange underwings aren’t the only day-flying moth you might meet in March. Later in the month, the extremely similar but far rarer light orange underwing takes flight, though they mostly flutter around aspens. The double-striped pug is much more common. This small, unobtrusive moth is a mosaic of rich browns and off-whites. It can be found in parks and gardens, where it’s often disturbed from bushes. In warm sunshine, it may be seen flying and visiting flowers. 

Towards the end of the month, look out for one of our most spectacular moths. On sunny days, male emperor moths fly around in open country, such as heathland and moorland, using their feathery antennae to follow the pheromone trails of females. They are magnificent insects, with a huge eye-like spot on each of their four wings.

Hide and seek

Just because the majority of moths take flight at night, that doesn’t mean you can’t admire them during the day. Moths have to rest somewhere whilst they wait for the sun to set. With a little luck or a lot of patience, you can often spot them snoozing. 

Many moths will rest on tree trunks, perfectly disguised as a bit of bark, moss or lichen. They are often incredibly hard to spot, but persistent searching can pay off. This month you might encounter the aptly-named oak beauty, or a female dotted border – they have stumpy wings and aren’t able to fly, so wait on tree trunks for passing males.

It’s always worth checking fences, fence posts and walls – moths are often easier to spot here than on trees. It’s best to look early in the day, as warm sunlight can cause them to move out of sight. In March, there’s a good chance of finding an early grey roosting on a man-made structure. The odds of finding moths are even better if there’s a light nearby, which may have attracted them during the night. 
 

Say hallo to sallow

Although there are plenty of moths to discover in the daylight, far more action takes place once the sun has set. Grab a torch and head out on a night safari to see moths in their element. In early spring, sallow blossoms are particularly popular. They are a great source of energy for moths and other insects, when few other flowers are available. During the day, they buzz with bees and hoverflies. At night, it’s the turn of the moths. Species to spot in March include clouded drab, common quaker, Hebrew character, blossom underwing and red sword-grass. 

Help moths take flight

One of the best ways to see more moths is to invite them into your garden. You can plant night-scented flowers to tempt the adults, but if you really want moths to make themselves at home you need to cater to the caterpillars. Provide plenty of foodplants and your garden can become a moth paradise. Find out more, get a free booklet and pledge to be a moth champion at wildaboutgardens.org.uk

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