Beautiful New Moth Species for South Downs National Park A rare and beautiful species of moth appears to have colonised the South Downs for the first time. The day-flying Lace Border moth is thought to have flown across the Channel from the continent and found suitable locations for breeding and feeding at sites in the South Downs National Park near Eastbourne.
but the moth has never previously become established. The Lace Border is found on the North Downs in Kent and Surrey and at sites in Norfolk and Gloucestershire, but this recent colonisation represents a new species for Sussex and for the South Downs National Park.
Butterfly expert Bob Eade was the first to spot the white moth in 2020 and has now been able to confirm the moth has survived another winter and is present on the site.
Tim Squire, a Ranger for the Eastern Downs of the National Park, said: “The South Downs has always been a national haven for butterflies and moths and this discovery adds another species to a very long list. The Lace Border moth is a real beauty and it’s amazing to see it in the south of England. Climate change may well be one of the factors here, so it’s also a sober reminder that research and regular wildlife monitoring are absolutely vital to help manage our fragile habitats.”
Bob, who has enjoyed visiting the site for decades, says: “While out taking photographs I spotted a small, white moth land nearby. Straight away I could see it was a moth I had never seen before, but at the time I didn't know what it was. I only managed one quick photograph before it flew and landed in the middle of some very dense scrub. When I got home, I checked the books against the photo, and it was clear it was a Lace Border. The next day I returned and saw three. This year I have seen more than 30 in this same area.” Dr Paul Tinsley-Marshall, Regional Conservation Manager for Butterfly Conservation, said: “Since 1976 only four Lace Border moths had been seen in Sussex, so Bob’s discovery and subsequent counts suggest it has successfully established a colony on the South Downs.” The moth was discovered on Frog Firle Farm, which is owned and managed by The National Trust. National Trust Lead Ranger Dan Fagan says, “The National Trust brought Frog Firle Farm into its care in 1991 and since then we have been working alongside our farm tenant to restore the internationally rare chalk grassland, for which the site is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. So, it’s fantastic to see chalk grassland species like the Lace Border moth colonising the site and we hope that a good population will become established and flourish in the years to come, as we continue our habitat restoration work”. It is thought that climate change might be a factor in this recent colonisation. The moth’s foodplants of Marjoram and Thyme have been common and widespread across the Downs for many years
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Dr Paul Tinsley-Marshall of Butterfly Conservation added: “We encourage people to look out for this distinctive and beautiful white moth. If this colonisation is a response to climate change, it might have also colonised other sites in the National Park. By gathering more data, we can better assess these impacts and the changing fortunes of our wildlife.” A small colony has also been found at Friston Gallops, managed by Forestry England. Daniel Cooper, Assistant Ecologist at Forestry England, commented on the project at the site: “The project aims to boost the wildflower population through a new sward management scheme, including low-intensity grazing, hay cutting, and wildflower seeding targeted at maintaining high-quality chalk grassland habitat. This management will benefit the recently colonised Lace Border moth which has been found on the site in the last two years thanks to monitoring by volunteers from Seaford Natural History Society and Forestry England.” The successful conservation projects on the Friston Gallops site have also resulted in 36 species of butterfly being recorded there. This positive news follows the publication of the new Red List of British butterflies, a report from Butterfly Conservation published on 26th May 2022 that revealed half of all UK butterflies are endangered or near endangered. The full report can be viewed here.
