My new book, Meetings with Moths is available to pre-order NOW. This is the first time I have written an entire book and I’ve loved it. In it I share my fascination with the group of insects we call moths.
Moths are often given bad press as clothes-munching pests, or irritating brown things fluttering around lights at night, but they are an essential part of ecosystems everywhere. Many other animals rely on them for food. They are hugely important, but often overlooked, pollinators of plants. Their diversity and occurrence in almost every habitat on Earth mean moths can be used as valuable indicators to gauge the health of our environment.
Their influence goes beyond ecology too. From an ancient global trade in caterpillar silk to present-day scientists developing new technologies based on the structure and function of moths’ bodies, these insects have and will continue to shape human history.
Thanks to centuries of net-wielding, note-taking naturalists, there is an enormous legacy of information about the distribution and ecology of moths, particularly in the UK. This unparalleled data is being used to help us understand how our countryside is changing under the threats of climate change and habitat destruction, and how we might take steps to make things better.
There is absolutely no doubt that action is needed to avert the biodiversity crisis the world faces. If you already know and love the wildlife around you, this is probably obvious. But while the larger, often exotic, and frequently feathered or furry animals make the headlines, not everyone is aware of the diversity of smaller wildlife to be found in their local town, parks and countryside, or the threats it faces.
In Meetings with Moths I wanted to highlight some of the small, often hidden, creatures that share our local spaces. I wanted to impart a little bit of science but also share the simple joy of watching ordinary wildlife go about its ordinary business. I tell stories of my adventures seeking out moths across Scotland and meet other committed people doing the same.
By getting to know and love our wildlife better and then sharing that knowledge with others, maybe we can build up a collective pride in our own biodiversity. Maybe then, it has a better chance of being protected.
Pre-order now – available in all the usual places.
Moth World 