First sighting of special moth in over 20 years at Inverewe

Award-winning Inverewe Garden is celebrating a very welcome visitor for the first time in over 20 years – the green pug moth. Although not a rare species, it is the first of this species to be caught by local biologist Barry Blake in his regular monthly trappings at Inverewe. Barry said:

‘This is the first green pug moth I have caught in six years of trapping in this area. In coastal Wester Ross, it has been caught in the south at Loch Carron and then up in Ullapool, with a gap between those two sites. This is a good addition for Inverewe’s 10km square and for this area as a whole. The previous recorder does not appear to have caught this species in more than 20 years so I am very pleased!

‘My regular monthly recordings compare trappings in the Walled Garden, the Azalea Walk and the Pinewood Trail. The Azalea Walk, which perhaps benefits from the combination of garden and nature, yielded the most moths. The full list of the moths recorded includes wonderfully named species such as the flame carpet, true lover’s knot, Lempke’s gold spot and now the elusive green pug!’

Kevin Frediani, Property Manager is also delighted with this latest moth discovery:

‘Inverewe is a wonderfully diverse landscape where we are helping to shape its future suitability for species. Barry and the whole team at Inverewe are working together to further understand how our plantings and wildlife mutually benefit , looking towards a sustainable future for the whole Inverewe site.’

This all bodes well for the upcoming World Ranger Day on Monday 31 July, when Katie Dixon, Ranger for Inverewe and Corrieshalloch Gorge, will introduce visitors to the wide range of wildlife in the garden and on the wider estate. Katie will be looking in detail at butterflies, bats and the Big Five – all of which can be seen at Inverewe.