Scientific Challenge
Moths play a vital role in ecosystems, being fed upon by many species and being important pollinators. They are also great at indicating environmental health because they are so diverse and respond rapidly to environmental change.
Traditionally, moth recording using light traps has been largely confined to gardens, due to the challenges of accessing power sources, but technological advancements, such as low energy LED traps and AI-identification tools, are transforming the opportunities for moth recording. We are using these new technologies to support farmers in moth recording. This will help to increase our knowledge of moths, the impacts of farmland management on nature and support farmers’ engagement with conservation.
Project Overview
We are involving 26 farmers in monitoring moth biodiversity across a range of farms in England in the summer of 2024. Each farmer will be given 2-3 LED moth traps which they will place out on their farms ideally once or twice a week. They will record moths via an AI-based identification app, eSurveyor (https://www.ceh.ac.uk/e-surveyor).
In this project, we are going beyond collecting data on biodiversity, and are seeking to empower farmers by increasing their knowledge of nature on their farms by monitoring moths on their own land. Farmers are involved in the co-design process ensuring that the project is designed with farmers and for farmers. Through collaborating with farmers, we aim to inform future biodiversity monitoring initiatives and strengthen farmer engagement in conservation practices.
