Bog Squad at Cander Moss

Last weekend I paid a visit to one of the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s other reserves in Clydesdale: Cander Moss near Larkhall, to carry out some surveying and habitat restoration with Butterfly Conservation’s bog squad. This area of raised bog is a fantastic habitat of sphagnum moss and heather that supports a wide range of wildlife. On Saturday evening I manged to put out a moth trap, though I was uncertain of how successful this would be due to the heavy rain forecast for that night. However, I was pleased to see that on Sunday morning there was a myriad of different moth species that had been caught including my first ever tiger garden moth!

Garden Tiger Moth from the moth trap at Cander Moss © Alex Kekewich
Garden Tiger Moth from the moth trap at Cander Moss © Alex Kekewich

 

The reserve is also home to other species including beetles, butterflies, amphibians and many more. While surveying for large heath butterflies we were able to cover a larger area of the bog and found plenty of invertebrates, frogs, a toad and even some Round-leaved Sun Dew: a carnivorous plant species! Unfortunately we did not spot any of the large heath butterflies but while clearing birch saplings we did discover this amazing emperor moth caterpillar! A fantastic find to end a fantastic day!

Emperor Moth Caterpillar from Cander Moss © Alex Kekewich
Emperor Moth Caterpillar from Cander Moss © Alex Kekewich

If you would like to find out more about the bog squad and the work Butterfly Conservation do please check out their website: http://butterfly-conservation.org/ or read the bog squad blog for news from previous work days, and photos from Sunday here:

Bye for now!

Alex Kekewich – Falls of Clyde Seasonal Ranger

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Preface

Last weekend I paid a visit to one of the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s other reserves in Clydesdale: Cander Moss near Larkhall, to carry out some surveying and habitat restoration with …

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