Myriad of moths: In our daily lives it can be easy to overlook the breathtaking variety of life that surrounds us. Take moths, for example. Most of us would probably struggle to name a single type of moth, so you might be surprised to find that in Britain alone over 2,400 different species of moths have been recorded. They range from large and colourful, like elephant hawk moths, to tiny and well camouflaged, such as Chinese character moths, which resemble a bird dropping when at rest. Celebrating diversity: When night falls, special lights can be used to attract moths to fly into traps, which is a great way to get a good look at them before releasing them unharmed. However, you do not need to be out in the dark to encounter some interesting and colourful moths as there are many species active in the daytime. This Saturday is International Day of Biodiversity, so why not join in with this celebration of the diversity of life and head to your nearest green space or BBOWT nature reserve to spot moths and butterflies?

One attractive moth to look out for in open grassy areas is the forester with its metallic green colouring. It can be found feeding on flowers such as clover and ragged-robin at BBOWT’s Bernwood Meadows Nature Reserve.

Striking cinnabar moths have black forewings with a red bar running down the edge. It is their distinctive yellow-and-black striped caterpillars that can be seen on ragwort later in the summer.

At first glance the silver y may seem a fairly unremarkable grey moth, but a closer inspection reveals the origin of its name — a small silvery y-shaped marking on each forewing. Spot this moth at BBOWT’s Warburg Nature Reserve.

Female prerogative: Of the butterflies about in May, male orange-tips certainly live up to their name. The orange patches on the tips of their otherwise white forewings make them easy to identify even from just a long-distance glimpse.

The females do not have the orange tips, so can easily be confused with other white butterflies; it is best to have a closer look for the green patterning on the underside of the hindwings to be sure.

The caterpillars of this butterfly feed on cuckoo flowers found growing in damp grasslands like BBOWT’s Iffley and Chimney Meadows, though the adults are wide-ranging and can be seen almost anywhere.

Find a gem: Now is a good time to seek out green hairstreak butterflies. Although more difficult to find than the orange-tip, they are certainly worth the effort. Look out for them fluttering around scrubby areas near grasslands in places like BBOWT’s Hartslock and Ardley Quarry nature reserves. When at rest they reveal the beautiful iridescent green undersides of their wings.

Find out more: Go to ‘What’s on’ at www.bbowt.org.uk for more ideas for getting out and enjoying our wildlife. See www.biodiversityislife.net for more information about International Day for Biodiversity