Families and local residents gathered at St Giles Church, Great Coxwell, to discover the rich variety of wildlife using the churchyard during a community moth survey.
The event involved opening a moth trap that had been left running overnight. Moth traps attract moths using a light source, with the insects then settling in a collection of empty egg boxes until they can be identified and safely released.
Alison Riggs, Environment Action Delivery Co-ordinator, visited the church on Tuesday morning to see the results, along with members of the church and village community. She said: "A group of people and families from the church and village came to join in and marvel at the great diversity of moths that were found. So many shapes, sizes and colours."
Particularly exciting discoveries, due to their size, were the striking Elephant Hawk-moth and Pine Hawk-moth, alongside a wide variety of grassland, woodland and garden species.
Moths have great names, other finds included:
- Latticed Heath
- Willow Beauty
- Dark Arches
- Flame Shoulder
Although they may not be remarkable individually, they demonstrate that the churchyard supports a healthy range of moths from different environments.
During her visit, Alison was also shown around the church's Contemplation Garden, which provides a welcoming space for reflection while supporting nature and biodiversity.
Although a range of species was discovered during the survey, moth populations are declining nationally. Churchyards can play an important role in supporting wildlife by providing habitats where nature can flourish alongside spaces used by local communities.
How to carry out a moth survey
Churches and community groups interested in learning more about wildlife in their churchyards can organise a simple moth survey with the help of local experts or wildlife groups.
A moth trap, which uses a light to attract moths overnight, is placed in a safe outdoor location and checked early the following morning. The moths settle safely inside the trap, allowing volunteers to identify and record species before releasing them unharmed.
Moth surveys are a great way to:
- Discover the biodiversity already present in churchyards and green spaces.
- Engage families and local communities with nature.
- Contribute valuable wildlife records that help monitor species populations.
- Encourage churchyard management that benefits both people and wildlife.
Anyone interested in running a survey should consider partnering with a local moth recorder, natural history society or wildlife group, who can help with species identification and ensure surveys are carried out responsibly.
Ideas and resources
- Our web page on managing churchyards for wildlife.
- Ideas on making greenspaces moth and wildlife-friendly from Wild About Gardens.
- Help on identifying a moth.
Read about a rare species found in Kirtlington churchyard during the annual Churches Count on Nature surveys in June.