Meetings with Moths: Discovering their Mystery and Extraordinary Lives

by Katty Baird

Mossy greens, conker browns, cream, chocolate and deepest black; add stripes, swirls and splotches and you have some of the most striking wildlife Britain has to offer. In Meetings with Moths ecologist Katty Baird roams Scotland seeking out, documenting and observing moths. Green Longhorns, Pimpinel Pugs and Peacock Moths are just some of the species that catch her attention as she climbs into holes, ventures behind waterfalls and wanders forests with her boundless curiosity. But you needn’t travel far and wide to see beautiful moths. Katty shows that you can easily enjoy discovering moths and caterpillars without specialist knowledge by creating your own light trap or simply looking more closely at your immediate landscape. Meetings with Moths is a story about green health and the power of a passion to sustain us.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Nature, Animals, Audiobook, Natural History

272 pages, Hardcover

Published February 27, 2024

Reviews

[Kristina the Book Forager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meetings with Moths, written by Katty Baird, is an engaging and informative book that captures the author's love and fascination for these elusive creatures. As a moth enthusiast, I found the book to be well-written and thoroughly enjoyable.

Baird's passion for moths is evident in every chapter of the book, and her knowledge and expertise are readily apparent. The book is filled with detailed descriptions of the various moth species she has encountered in Scotland, as well as their behaviors and habitats.

One of the things I appreciated most about Meetings with Moths is the way Baird makes the science of moth-watching accessible to readers of all levels of expertise. Her writing is clear and concise, and she does an excellent job of explaining complex concepts in simple terms.

In addition to being informative, Meetings with Moths is also a delightful read. Baird's love for these creatures shines through in her writing, and her enthusiasm is infectious. I found myself becoming increasingly interested in moths as I read the book, and I suspect that other readers will too.

Overall, I highly recommend Meetings with Moths to anyone interested in nature, insects, or simply looking for a great read. Baird's writing is engaging, informative, and enjoyable, and her book is sure to leave you with a newfound appreciation for these fascinating creatures. After reading this book, I will certainly be keeping an eye out for moths on my future nature walks.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC opportunity, I sincerely enjoyed this book.

[Sam Liu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love moths and I love meeting moths and I love reading about other moth lovers meeting moths and waxing lyrical about them.

[Danni The Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Netgally for my copy in return for an honest review.

I wanted to read this book as I've always had a fear of moths and it's become more of a problem as I've gotten older, and I thought if I could educate myself on them it might help.

And now thanks to Baird I have a new found obsession. This book is so incredibly informative and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the adventures in Lothian and finding new and rare moths. I have been shown them in a new found light and moths are beautiful. I have now been taking to my garden and have found a variety of different moths and plan to set up a light trap to discover more.
I really enjoyed having the photos at the end of the book and more books to read on moths. Thank you for letting me read this brilliant book and enter the world of moths!

[James O'Donnell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not opposed to these casual non-fiction books where it's a thinly veiled excuse to write about some personal anecdotes relating to the subject along with the occasional glossed over factual detail. However, there are at least two instances every chapter where Baird goes on about how much her children hate her and her interest in moths and that all their friends think she is a moss covered stinky freak and her son wont let her come be with him when he goes out to the skatepark and if she comes he just ignores her. The book oozes with the resentment of others towards her, though it's more likely something internalised and projected. Either way, kinda depressing, didn't learn much about moths, learnt a lot about the author's self-hatred.

[Anshuman Swain · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was penned with a lot of love for moths and I could feel it while reading. Although primarily focused on the author's experiences with moths in the UK, the book nets a lot of general factoids about moths and their ecology. A fun read and beautifully written!

[Ginni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katty Baird is an ecologist living in East Lothian, who records and monitors invertebrates throughout Scotland. Always fascinated by natural history, over the past ten years she has become passionate about moths. In ‘Meetings with Moths’ she describes her adventures with light trapping and ‘sugaring’, caterpillar hunting, and searching underground for overwintering adult moths.
Her style is easy and the book flows along well, while introducing the science behind the moths in a fascinating and readable way. I particularly enjoyed the chapter entitled ‘Evasive Action’, concerning the million of years old relationship between hunting bats and moths, as well as those parasitoid wasps that prey on caterpillars. Further fascinating details emerge in ‘Masquerade’ which addresses camouflage in moths, and ‘Long-haul Travel’, about migration.
There are line drawings and black and white photographs interspersed with the text, plus a centre section of colour plates of some of the moths discussed. A short but useful bibliography and good indexes augment an excellent book, that should fire enthusiasm for our marvellous U.K. moths.

[Lyndsey Sproule · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful, easy non-fiction read.

This book was recommended by a member of my book club, Aggie’s Book Club, as a local read with reference to John Muir Country Park, so I thought why not give it a try to push me out of my usual comfort zone.

Not the biggest moth fan or non-fiction reader when I started reading, Katty’s writing style kept you interested and engaged, without feeling overwhelmed with the information provided in the book. Katty wrote early in the book describing the beginning of her relationship with moths, and I feel she has kick started mine. Even early into the book, I’ve found myself more mindful and looking for moths when out and about, without the continuous, misinformed dread they are going to all eat my clothes!

Thank you Katty for a fantastic, insightful read - this has been the first non-fiction book I have actually enjoyed.

[Lester Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely made me want to find out more about Moths

[Shriya Uday · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent book if you don't know much about moths. Unfortunately it was too general for me and the writing just didn't click

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about the pleasures of mothing and the positive benefits being out in nature has on well being.

Not so much about the moths themselves although but about how to discover them and connect with nature.

An absolute joy and the perfect book to drop off to sleep with...

[Connor Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it - a really well written book that captures the passion of the author well! I discovered so many new species I'd never heard of and it's made me want to get out there with a moth trap and see them for real!

[Theresa De · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. I wasn't quite sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. Katty is really enthusiastic about her subject and carried me along with her. I find moths fascinating but there was so much more I learnt from this book. I'd really recommend it. Thank you Katty.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very accessible book about a topic I was none too familiar with, written in a descriptive, precise, and entertaining tone. Makes me want to go out and look for some moths!

[Joana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was already the weird woman with the phone torch pointing at flowers but I'm even more keen to find moths now. Really good read, goes through a lot of topics.

[Eli Hockin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting, I like how this introduces facts through personal stories, I found this format more engaging than other nonfiction books.

[Nicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book, learning about moths is captivating and not something I knew much about. Recommend for nature lovers!

[Cynthia Mackey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a delight to read about Katty's enthusiasm for moths and how she observed them.