Moth counts on chalk grassland and surrounding arable fields with agri-environment schemes in Hampshire, 2014

Results of moth surveys carried out at four landscapes in North-West Hampshire in June and July 2014. The data includes dates and locations of the surveys and associated counts for each of 180 moth species. Also included is information on site management, connectivity of survey sites to chalk grassland and habitat specialism of each moth species.

Moths were surveyed in light traps for 24 nights in June/July 2014 in four landscapes in North-West Hampshire. Each survey location contained a patch of protected chalk grassland habitat surrounded mostly by arable fields. Each landscape was surveyed for six nights, with two traps being placed on the chalk grassland and the remaining eight being placed on arable fields at a range of distances from the chalk grassland patch. Traps on arable fields were alternated between arable field margins and arable field centres across the six nights. Four of eight arable field margins in each landscape comprised an area of grassland habitat created under agri-environment schemes.