We set up six lamps – two Mercury Vapour and various Actinic and LED lights – on the boardwalks in the eastern part of the site. Although it got a little dewy and cool under clear skies we recorded an impressive total of 140 moth species. The undoubted highlight was four Dotted Fan-foot, not only new for the vice-county of Monmouthshire but a new species for the whole of South Wales.

This moth has been spreading west from its strongholds in the marshes of eastern England, but had only reached as far west as Wiltshire so we weren't expecting it to have reached Wales yet. The fact we recorded four suggests local breeding is highly likely, especially given the habitats at Magor Marsh are highly suitable for the moth. Three of the four Dotted Fan-foots were netted by torchlight while walking the boardwalks between the traps, rather than at the light traps themselves.

Playing second fiddle to the Dotted Fan-foot on the night were several immigrant moths - a Vestal, two Silver Y and three Rush Veneer – and a wide range of other wetland species including Scallop Shell, Cream-bordered Green Pea and Minor Shoulder-knot. Micro-moths included Anania perlucidalis, Eudonia delunella, Crambus pratella, Gypsonoma sociana and Acleris comariana. We also recorded five Wainscot species: Obscure, Southern, Smoky, Striped and Common.

We intend to do more light trapping at this excellent site as the moths are still rather under-recorded – especially the micros. If you see any moths while visiting the site, please submit your records to the county moth recorders or via the SEWBReCORD online recording system. And please let Gwent Wildlife Trust know too!