Getting Involved

All you need to take part in this survey is enthusiasm, a moth trap and a field guide. Take the following steps to join in;

1. Contact the national coordinator - see contacts page to get all the basic information needed to take part
2. Download a recording form and instructions from the Download page
3. Put your moth trap out once per week and start recording your garden moths

For people wanting to buy or build their own moth trap or to buy a moth field guide then check the Suppliers section of our Links Page. If you don't yet own your own moth trap, but want to look at moths in your garden then check out the Moths Count website. Look at their exciting new Garden Moths Count Survey.

By taking part in the GMS you can be doing something useful for science and have fun looking at moths!

What do you need to do to take part? You just need to count the numbers of common moths you see in your moth trap, for one night every week from March to November (and you are probably doing that already). The list of moths consists of about 200 species, common in your area and those that are difficult to identify are intentionally left out. This means that the GMS is open to recorders of all abilities - you don't have to be an expert, just get yourself a moth trap and field guide and you will be welcome! This is a rapidly expanding garden moth-recording scheme that measures the fortunes of our common moths. And to make it even more attractive to recorders the GMS now has its own popular chat-site, regular newsletter, annual report and meeting.

To answer questions about what is happening to our environment and more particularly our moths and our gardens then we need more moth recorders throughout the UK. If you count moths in your back garden and want to make a real difference to the future of moths and our environment then get in touch with us to sign up for the new recording season.

So, get in touch straight away if you want to join the GMS - your records will be really valuable.

If you do decide to join in the GMS then please still send all your moth records to your County Moth Recorder as well, whether common or rare, in your garden or on your travels. If you don't know the name and address of your County Moth Recorder then you can find out their contact details via the Moths Count website.