The Kent Moth Group
The Kent Moth Group works as an informal group of people who are interested in recording moths. It meets at least annually and has the intention of producing reports and newsletters. We are affiliated with Butterfly Conservation: Kent and SE London Branch.
Our county moth recorders, Ian & Sally Hunter and Dave Shenton, are dedicated to gathering information about the moths of Kent (VC15 and VC16). They submit this data to the national database, as well as analysing it and feeding information back to everyone who is interested in moths.
Discover Kent's Moths
This website covers all 2,174 moth species recorded in Kent. Our species accounts up-to-date distribution maps, reporting rate charts and phenology charts, as well as notes on the species' status in Kent, identification, and ecology. Below is a selection of random species:
We Need Your Records!
All records sent to us are highly valued, as they help us get as complete a picture of the moths in Kent as possible. There are a variety of ways in which you can submit data:
- Using our pre-built recording templates
- Via iRecord
- Extracting records from Mapmate
- Entering data to the National Moth Recording Scheme
For more information about submitting data, click below:
Submitting DataWhat's Flying Tonight?
A notable feature of the website is our 'What's Flying Tonight' pages. These can be used to narrow down which species are most likely to be seen at a specific time of year, thereby helping speed up the process of identifying a moth.
Below are a selection of the most commonly recorded species during Early November in Kent:
Flying Throughout the Year
What Makes Kent Special For Moths?
Close to the continent, in the south-eastern corner of the UK, Kent has a warm climate and a fantastic mix of habitats. Several species in the UK are recorded almost exclusively in Kent. Some of our specialities include:
Keep up to Date with the Kent Moth Group
The best way to keep up to date with the Kent Moth Group is via our social media pages, on Facebook and Twitter:
Also check back here regularly for the latest updates from the Kent Moth Group, including details of any up-coming events and meetings:
The Kent Moth Group's 2024 Spring Meeting is being held at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory on Saturday 2nd March from 9:30am to approx. 1:30pm.
Please let us know if you are planning to attend by contacting us at mothsinkent@gmail.com
Proposed agenda set out below. It would be good to meet up with more of you.
Please confirm via mothsinkent@gmail.com it will help us plan biscuits etc!
Moth Group meeting Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory CT13 9PF
Saturday March 2nd 2024 0930 to 1330.
0930am- Arrival and tea and coffee.
0950am- Welcoming remarks
10am- Rebecca Levey-Kent Magnificent Moths and the future (25 mins)
10.30am Dave Shenton – Kent micro report 2022 (20 mins)
10.55am Dave Shenton – Entering data via i-Record (10 mins)
11.10am Tea break
11.40am Greg Lee – Weather and migrants (20 mins)
12.05pm Ian Hunter – Kent macro report 2022 (20 mins)
12.30pm Ian Smith – Cameroon (25 mins)
1.00pm Oliver Bournat –Expecting the expected at Seal Chart SSSI (20 mins)
1.30pm finish
We will request donations to defray costs.
The Observatory is on a private estate and you may be requested by them to pay £1 entry for the estate
Britain's first Ancylosis convexella was caught by Tony King in Lyminge, Kent recently (det. D. Shenton). This is a species that occurs in southern Europe and northern Africa.
This continues a string of additions to the British list in the past month, potentially up to the 5th such new species!