How to create a Moon Meadow in your Wild Space

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A moon meadow is a green space or planted area filled with plants which benefit our nighttime pollinators like moths, with an additional secret ingredient – the moon! Here’s how you can create one in your outdoor space at home.

Make a space 

A moon meadow can be any size – as long as it provides the things that moths need and is lit in a way that doesn’t cause moths harm. 

You can make a moon meadow in: 

  • A windowbox 
  • Pots 
  • A planter 
  • A flowerbed 
  • A lawn 
  • A community garden 

Pick your plants 

Most adult moths need to feed on nectar. Some great nectar plants to include are: 

  • Night-scented Stock – these pretty flowers produce a scent which attracts moths in the evening and can be grown in pots. 

 

  • Jasmine – try this in a planter with a trellis it can grow up. Jasmine’s pale flowers produce a beautiful scent at night which attracts moths like the Elephant Hawk-moth. 

 

  • Ox-eye Daisy – this easy to grow wildflower is great to include in a meadow and provides nectar for moths and butterflies. 

 

  • Bramble – you can incorporate this into a hedge if you have a bigger space and its flowers and fruit provide food for moths and a variety of other wildlife. 

 

Very hungry moth caterpillars will also need plants to fill up on before they transform into an adult moth; however, some caterpillars can be a bit picky about what they eat. Here are our top suggestions, but you can also look up moths which might be around locally and find out what they eat so you can include it in your moon meadow. A good idea is to take inspiration from what’s growing wild in your area already! 

 

  • Marjoram – this is brilliant for pots and provides food for the caterpillars of the Mint Moth. 

 

  • Ivy – you can allow Ivy to trail in a planter or grow up a trellis and it will provide food for the caterpillars of moths like Angle Shades and the Old Lady. 

 

  • Lady’s Bedstraw – Lady’s Bedstraw is great to include in a wildflower meadow and is eaten by caterpillars of the Hummingbird Hawk-moth, Flame Shoulder, Common Carpet, and many more. 

 

  • Hawthorn – if you have a bigger space, this hedging plant is a moth favourite. Hawthorn is eaten by the caterpillars of the Swallow-tailed Moth, Brimstone Moth, Feathered Thorn, and lots more.  

 

Light it right 

Moon meadows need adjustments to artificial lighting so moths can thrive! Most of the UK’s moth species are nocturnal and fly at night. Some moths are naturally drawn to sources of light, but visiting these artificial lights can leave them too exhausted to find food or to breed, and make them more vulnerable to predation. By adjusting the lighting surrounding your moon meadow space, you can help moths thrive. 

You can adjust your lighting in your outdoor areas at home by: 

  • Using timers to switch off lights when you’re not using them 
  • Close your curtains at night so light doesn’t spill onto your moon meadow 
  • Using warm coloured bulbs which are less likely to attract moths 
  • Use shields on your lights so that you’re only lighting the areas you need and not your moon meadow  

Interested in finding about more about light pollution and how you can help by creating a Moon Meadow? Visit Make a Moon Meadow and don’t forget to register your new moon meadow as a Wild Space!