Rare moth count under way at only England site in Bristol

The Bristol Zoological Society said it was a "little bit of a mystery why they are in this gorge and not in any others"

Moth counters are on the hunt for a rare moth, that is only found in England in the Avon Gorge in Bristol.

A survey of the silky wave moth is being carried out by conservationists from the Bristol Zoological Society (BZS) over the next month.

The white-winged moth was first discovered in the area in 1851.

Dr Jen Nightingale, the charity's UK conservation manager, said: "It is a little bit of a mystery why they are in this gorge and not in any others."

A team of moth counters, including Dr Jen Nightingale (pictured), use walking sticks to lightly tap the paths to get the moths to fly up

The gorge is one of only three places in the UK where silky wave moths are known to be found.

They also inhabit the Gower peninsula in West Glamorgan and the Great Orme in Conwy.

Moth numbers have been monitored on an "ad hoc basis" in the gorge since 1992.

But in 2011, the BZS began carrying out annual surveys during the moth's flight season, between June and early July.

The gorge, which runs along the River Avon, is home to an array of species and the white-winged moth is said to be crucial to understanding the surrounding habitat

Dr Jen Nightingale, said it was the 10th year the charity had been "surveying on a rigorous basis" for the silky wave.

"It's so important because how this species is faring tell us so much about how the other species and habitats in this very special, important, unique area are also doing," she said.

"We have a duty to ensure their survival into the future."

Last year, the annual moth search went ahead under Covid-19 restrictions, and 342 of the moths were recorded during the species' peak flight week.