Archive · 18 Jul 2026
Four-day moth-watching camp begins in Kurseong
A group of nature lovers and scientists are going on a four-day trip to watch and study moths in a forest near Kurseong.
They will use special lights to attract moths and learn about different kinds of moths that live there.
This is their sixth year doing this, and last year they found over 450 types of moths.
Moths are important because they help other animals and plants in the forest.
The team will share what they learn with scientists all over the world.
The Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (Hnaf) is conducting its annual four-day moth-watching camp in Shivkhola, Kurseong subdivision from July 20-21, 2024.
26 lepidopterists, researchers, and nature enthusiasts will participate in the event, which is held to assess the presence of nocturnal moth species and study their ecological importance.
Shivkhola is known for its rich biodiversity and is a hotspot for ornithologists and lepidopterists due to its diverse bird, butterfly, and moth populations.
Participants will use UV and mercury vapour lamps to attract and identify nocturnal moth species, despite challenges posed by monsoon rains and leech-infested forests.
The primary objective of the camp is to understand the ecological importance of moths, which play a vital role in maintaining food chains and serving as pollinators.
- Who
- Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (Hnaf) and 26 participants
- What
- Annual four-day moth-watching camp
- When
- July 20-21, 2024
- Where
- Shivkhola, Kurseong subdivision, near Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary
- Why
- To assess the presence of nocturnal moth species and study their ecological importance
- Organizer
- Himalayan Nature and Adventure Foundation (Hnaf)
- Location
- Shivkhola, Kurseong subdivision
- Duration
- July 20-21, 2024
- Participants
- 26 lepidopterists, researchers, and nature enthusiasts
- Moth Species Documented Last Year
- More than 450
- Distance from Siliguri
- 35km
- Biodiversity Databases
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and iNaturalist
- Moth Species in India
- More than 13,000