As night falls over Wrecclesham, 88-year-old Dr Martin Angel heads out with a UV light and moth trap, continuing a decades-long mission to study the area’s nocturnal insect life.

Affectionately nicknamed ‘Mothman’ by his friends, Dr Angel was at St Peter’s Churchyard last week surveying moth species as part of his ongoing research.

The following day, he shared his findings with the Wrecclesham Cubs group, offering young naturalists a close-up look at the moths, before releasing them back into the wild.

Making capturing the insects look easy, Dr Angel has identified more than 900 different moth species in the Farnham area alone. On a single night, he can record up to 100 species, often working until the early hours of the morning to study the insects.

A former oceanographer, Dr Angel retired in 1997 after 32 years at the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences and the Southampton Oceanography Centre, now known as the National Oceanography Centre.

His fascination with moths, however, began in a somewhat unexpected way.

His wife, Heather, a wildlife photographer, had been asked to source an exotic animal for a television programme.

“We were told to go get a lion but obviously they are very hard to capture and keep,” said Dr Angel.

“So we settled on getting a tarantula and tarantulas are like dogs as they live for a long time.”

The spider eventually lived for a decade and required regular feeding, prompting Dr Angel to begin catching moths. The hobby that soon evolved into a serious scientific pursuit.

Today, he continues his work from his garden at home, spending at least three nights a week monitoring moth populations.

He also volunteers with the Bourne and Wrecclesham conservation groups, helping to educate young people about the importance of wildlife conservation.