Even a small urban garden may have over a hundred different species of moths. There will be many more species in larger gardens and those with native trees in them, or nearby. If you want to know which species are living in your garden, there are simple ways to find moths, including fun things for children to try.
Everyone knows moths are attracted to lights at night, so after dusk 
- leave on an outside light (low energy bulbs work just as well)
- open your curtains with a light on and see what lands on the window pane - this works even if you don't have a garden!
- leave the bathroom window open with a light on for a few hours before you go to bed and see what comes in (it's best to keep the door shut)
- hang a white sheet in the garden and leave a strong torch shining on it
Did you know that many moths also come to flowers to feed on nectar?
- go out with a torch to look for moths feeding on flowers at dusk
- mix fizzy drink with treacle to make artificial nectar and paint this 'sugar' on tree trunks or fence posts at dusk
Some moths fly around in the day and are mistaken for butterflies, so
- look in the daytime too - a net can be useful
You should avoid handling the moths. It is useful to have small containers to put them in while you identify them - transparent pots or jam jars are ideal. Be sure to release them as soon as you have identified them.
The best way to see lots of moths is to run a specially designed trap which uses light to catch them but doesn't harm them. These are available from commercial suppliers or can be home-made. The one pictured at the top of this page is a Robinson trap.
You can download more information on finding moths (including the nectar recipe) with this How to start "mothing" factsheet.
Take part in Moth Night, the annual celebration of moths and moth recording organised by Atropos, Butterfly Conservation and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
Go along to a public moth event run by a Butterfly Conservation Branch, local moth group or conservation organisation.