Inverewe and Corrieshalloch are a haven for biodiversity
Local moth expert Barry Blake, together with Ben Syrett-Judd, Estate Ranger, and a dedicated team of volunteers, were busy conducting detailed moth surveys across both Inverewe and Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve. Their work forms part of a growing effort to understand and protect the remarkable biodiversity that thrives within these unique landscapes.
A hidden world after dark
While many of us associate Inverewe with its dazzling daylight displays of exotic plants and riotous colour, an entirely different ecosystem comes to life as the sun sets. Often overlooked – or unfairly maligned – moths are vital nocturnal pollinators. They’re drawn to pale, fragrant flowers that bloom in the dark, helping plants to reproduce and spread.
A healthy moth population supports a vast web of life. Bats, abundant at Inverewe, rely on moths and other night-flying insects as a significant food source. Meanwhile, moth larvae provide nourishment for birds and wasps – species that, in turn, help control garden pests. It’s a delicate balance, and one that thrives thanks to the Trust’s careful habitat management.
Science in action
To study these creatures, researchers use harmless light traps. These are simple wooden boxes fitted with LED bulbs and lined with egg cartons where the moths can rest safely overnight. At dawn, the team identifies and records each visitor before releasing them unharmed back into the wild.
These surveys have already revealed some exciting discoveries. This year, Inverewe recorded its first-ever swallow-tailed moth, marking the most northerly record for the species in Wester Ross. The August Thorn, a species previously unrecorded in the local vice-county, also made its debut.
Out on the wider Inverewe estate, two Anomalous moths were found in the wildflower meadows – a heartening sight given that this species is considered in decline across parts of the UK. The findings underline Inverewe’s growing role as a refuge for species expanding their range, possibly influenced by climate change. Recent years have also seen the first county records of the Pale Pinion and Buff Footman, along with range-expanding species such as the Scorched Wing, Scallop Shell, and Purple Thorn.
Corrieshalloch joins the conservation effort
This summer also marked the first official Trust moth surveys at Corrieshalloch Gorge. Two detailed studies in June and July saw traps placed around the visitor centre and within the woodland, spanning a variety of habitats from wildflower meadows to mature birch forest.
In total, 138 moths representing 38 species were recorded, including striking examples such as the Poplar Hawk-moth, Magpie moth, Mottled Beauty and Coxcomb Prominent. Even swarms of midges – a familiar Highland companion – couldn’t deter the team’s enthusiasm during their July survey, which added further species to Corrieshalloch’s growing list.
A living laboratory
Surveys at both Inverewe and Corrieshalloch are continuing into November, furthering Scotland’s understanding of pollinator populations and ecosystem health.
For visitors, these studies are a reminder that Inverewe and Corrieshalloch Gorge are far more than scenic destinations. They are living laboratories of conservation, teeming with life and quietly playing their part in protecting Scotland’s natural heritage.
It’s a real privilege to see how our work here goes beyond the beauty people see on the surface. Inverewe and Corrieshalloch are alive with diversity, and every new discovery tells a story about how nature adapts, survives, and thrives when given the chance.
So next time you visit, linger a little longer at dusk and you might just glimpse one of Scotland’s hidden conservation success stories fluttering through the twilight.
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Featured Places
Inverewe
Rare species thrive in this heritage garden as the effects of the Gulf Stream meet the Highlands.
Corrieshalloch Gorge
Walk across the suspension bridge as the River Droma rushes through a mile-long slot gorge below.
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