Moth spotting workshops in the orchard (11th July & 12th July)

Following the success of last year's moth spotting evening, this year we are running two workshops so that even more of you can come and meet these beautiful orchard dwellers! There are over 2,500 different species of moth to be found in the UK, compared to just 59 species of butterfly and we want to find out how many are hidden in the hedgerows and trees of Artistraw Cider! Last year we saw 45 different species- can we beat that total this year? The Moth Team Tom and I have been leading moth workshops at UK festivals for around 7 years along with our friend Nova, a trained entomologist. We are all completely obsessed by these stunningly beautiful creatures and can’t wait to share our knowledge with you and introduce you to some of the orchards most intriguing inhabitants. What to expect on the night Arrive any time from 8:30pm -we'll have a bar open seving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Sunset is at around 9:30pm and we'd expect moth activity to start in earnest at around 10pm. We'll have a number of moth books that you'll be able to look through if you want to try and ID some moths for yourself. Leafing through the books whilst out in the field is a great way to start learning the poetic names of these amazing creatures and we'll be on hand for the duration of the evening to talk you all through the moths and answer your questions. Tickets are limited to 20 people to keep the event small and intimate. Itinerary: 8:30pm: The orchard is open – feel free to wander amongst the trees and enjoy the view of the Black Mountains. There will a bar serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (including tea) for the duration of the event (sales of alcoholic drinks to end at 11pm). 9:30pm: Sunset- the moth lamp is switched on! 1am: Lights off- we leave the moths to go about their night. FAQs Is the event suitable for children? Absolutely! It will be a late night but we welcome lepidopterists of all ages! The ticket price is flat rate. Are the moths harmed by doing this? Not at all. We never trap the moths and they are free to come and go as they please. Is there parking at the venue? There is limited parking at the venue (not hard standing)- please car share where possible. Parking is also available at St Mary’s Church a five minute walk away. Can I bring my dog? We're sorry but we can't allow dogs on this occasion. What should I bring with me? Bring a coat or blanket. Moth spotting involves sitting outside and it can sometimes get chilly even on a Summer night! The lamp we use has a special bulb which is incredibly bright and shouldn’t be looked at directly. We find it useful to wear sunglasses! Bring a torch if you have one as the walk back to the church is unlit. What time does the event finish? We’ll be switching the moth lamp off at 1am. Are there toilets at the venue? There is a lovely clean compost loo at the top of the orchard. Will there be any food? We're afraid not but you're welcome to bring along snacks providing all litter is disposed of in the bins/ recycling provided or taken home. We kindly ask that you don't bring your own drinks as we rely on the bar takings to cover the cost of putting on the event. What happens in the event of bad weather? Sadly, its not safe or fair for the moths to be tempted out if its raining so we will have to cancel the event. All tickets will be refunded in this instance. We will make a descision and inform all ticket holders if we intend to cancel 24hrs before the event. Can I get a refund if I can't make it anymore? Tickets are refundable up until 7 days before the event. All ticket sales are non refundable after 8:30pm on 04/07/26. Thanks for understanding. Please drop us an email if you need to cancel for any reason. Will we see the moths in the photos? Most of the photos were all taken by Tom and I at last year's moth spotting workshop so there is every chance we will get to see the moths in the pictures and a lot more besides. However we never know exactly who might turn up, which is what makes moth spotting so exciting!