An evening's noctuid moths
Kurt Jackson (2020)
Mixed media on museum board
Dr Ruth Feber: Research
Dr Ruth Feber is a Research Fellow at the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit and Department of Zoology. Her research interests relate to the effects of land use on biodiversity.
Through her research, Dr Feber investigates how biodiversity is affected by changes in land use, and the complex ecological processes underlying these effects. She also researches land management interventions and land-use change at different spatial scales, and across taxonomic groups. Most recently Ruth has investigated issues relating to sport hunting, land use, and wildlife conservation.
Dr Ruth Feber: Response
"This painting shows just a few of the UK's 2500 moth species, many of which are stunningly beautiful. These mostly nocturnal insects often go unnoticed, but are vital prey for other wildlife such as birds and bats, and are important biodiversity 'indicators'.
Moths are suffering alarming declines, particularly in the wider countryside. We use light traps (from which moths are released unharmed) to investigate whether having more hedgerow trees on farms increases moth numbers. We found that they do, and that such trees may act as 'stepping stones', especially for less mobile moth species, providing shelter and helping them move across the landscape."
Specimens
Burnished Brass Moth, Diachrysia chrysitis
Frosted Orange Moth, Gortyna flavago
Rosy Rustic Moth, Hydraecia micacea
Large Ranunculus Moth, Polymixis flavicincta
Common Wainscot Moth, Mythimna pallens
Flame Shoulder Moth, Ochropleura plecta
White-line Dart Moth, Euxoa tritici
Garden Dart Moth, Euxoa nigricans
Small Square-spot Moth, Diarsia rubi
Square-spot Rustic Moth, Xestia xanthographa
Setaceous Hebrew Character Moth, Xestia c-nigrum
