AN ENDANGERED moth has been discovered for the first time in a remote part of Herefordshire.

Wildlife experts have spotted dozens of silurian moths during a series of night-time surveys on the Black Mountains.

The discovery on Hatterall Ridge is the first outside the Blaenau Gwent hillside where the first UK sighting took place in 1976.

The moth caterpillars live on bilberry plants which are common around Hatterall Hill, a designated Site of Specific Scientific Interest.

Experts used light traps to attract moths in the survey, funded by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.

Co-organiser Dave Grundy, a moth expert from Birmingham, said experts had been searching for the species for some time. He was joined by Herefordshire’s Robin Hemming and Dr Norman Lowe from the Brecknock Moth Group during the surveys on common land above Craswall.

Dr Lowe said the discovery was good news for the species’ long-term survival and a good wildlife indicator for the location.

“The silurian moth is so rare that it is on the Red Data Book list of endangered species,” he said.

“The survey has proved the species is not confined to only a single site, but that it is found in other areas which is good news.”

Clive Williams, eastern area manager for the National Park Authority said the extremely rare sighting was exciting news.

“This creature is a real upland specialist and only flies from around 1am onwards, meaning that it is not usually detected by moth surveyors,” said Mr Wiliams.

“The sighting of scarce moths on this common is especially welcome, as it shows that careful management from the graziers has created a habitat that has encouraged this rare species to survive.”