My interest began in 1999 and within 2 years I started to photograph every species of macro moth recorded in my garden. Later it seemed a natural progression to photograph the moths being recorded by others within the Parish.

In 2006, with the help of others who have trapped in the Parish, I began to keep photographic records for micro-moths recorded in the parish.

The parish of Holme next Sea, Norfolk encloses 1681 acres.

The coastline is bleak with a specialised maritime habitat of sand dunes with dune flora.

There is a prominent, but isolated belt of Corsican pine trees running parallel to the shore at the eastern end of the Parish. These were probably planted in the early 20th century after the successfully planting of these trees at Holkham in 1850 in order to stabilise and reclaim marshes there. Planting of these trees at Holme led to the invasion of bramble and elder scrub. The adjacent dunes became clothed with patches of sea buckthorn and a few wild privet clumps.

Broad Water, a large tract of slightly brackish water was originally the mouth of the River Hun, but today it is fringed with reeds and willows. Between the shore and the village some 400 acres of grazing marsh include reed fringed pools and dykes as well as the diverted River Hun.

In 1976, in the southern corner of this marsh, a pool was excavated to provide a wetland and wader habitat. An adjacent area was planted with a few deciduous trees such as oak, rowan, willow and maple.

From a hamlet of about 20 houses one hundred and fifty years ago, 232 houses now comprise Holme village. Originally the area would have been open country of marsh, cultivated land and meadows. There are no woods but plenty of hedgerows; these are thought to be of Roman origin. The agricultural area remains bordered by hedges of hawthorn, wild rose, blackthorn, maple, wild cherry plum (in the past planted for its fruits) and elm scrub. Oak trees are scarce and the old elms have mostly gone.

The Holme village gardens therefore provide a very attractive sylvan habitat, which combined with the adjacent marshes and dunes are excellent habitat for Lepidoptera of many species.

Peter Clarke
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Moth trapping has been carried out in the Parish of Holme next Sea as follows:

• September 1962 to October 1965 Mercury Vapour (MV) trap operated at The Firs by Peter Clarke.
  
• October 1965 to July 1980 no moth trap was in use at Firs or Holme Bird Observatory (HBO).
  
• November 1968 to present date MV trap operated in Holme Village by Peter Clarke.
  
• July 1980 to 1993 MV trap operated at HBO (when electricity supply connected) by Peter Clarke.
  
• 1994 to present date MV trap operated at HBO by Jed Andrews and Sophie Barker.
  
• 1996 to present date MV trap operated at The Firs by Gary Hibberd (initially by Neil Lawton).
  
• In the last ten years Moth groups have occasionally visited both reserves, using MV traps.
  
• September 2000 to present date Peter & Sandra Tilley are operating an MV trap on the outskirts of the village at Holme next the Sea.
  
• March 2005 to present date Les & Sarah Watson are operating an MV trap just east of the village of Holme next the Sea.