By kind permission of Farnham Town Council, the group is to hold a moth trapping session in the cemetery.
This is to be the town’s contribution to National Moth Night, held annually over three days during which a series of co-ordinated trapping events are run throughout the country with the aim of improving knowledge about Britain’s 2,600 moth species.
The public events are to increase general awareness of the importance of the roles played by moths in our ecosystems.
Moth trapping is carried out at night when moths are flying and uses lights to attract the moths which are released after being identified.
Each year the event targets species of special interest.
This year the target species are the clifden nonpareil and the many migrant species that come to Britain either regularly (like the Silver Y) or by chance.
The clifden nonpareil, also known as the blue underwing moth, is a spectacularly large and colourful species. It has been thought to be a migrant coming from central Europe but recently the increasing frequency of its occurrences suggests it is now a permanent resident.
Around Farnham it has been caught every year for the past four years. It is particularly fond of feeding on the nectar of ivy flowers and ivy grows in profusion around the boundary of the cemetery.
Anyone wishing to participate should register on the Farnham Town Council website farnham.gov.uk.
Children (aged eight and older) will be welcome but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Farnham Biodiversity Group has recently been formed to develop a Biodiversity Action Plan for the town so that the rich natural resources of the town can be conserved and if possible enhanced.
It is to make sure that all activities in the town have the best information available on habitats and species, and there is improved general awareness and respect of the town’s natural attributes that benefit us all.