On Wednesday September 21st, an evening event entirely devoted to celebrating moths, the first ‘Moth Ball’.

Performance, music, film, poetry and moth observation came together to bring attention to these diverse and fascinating insects.

Coates performed ‘Mothman’, dressed in a masking tape costume with 4 hands and 6 feet he answered questions from the audience using his ‘moth insight’ via an interpreter who translated his his moth visions into Dutch. Other performances were by Leon Giesen (Mondo Leone), poet Ellen Deckwitz, the Vohrlesebühne ism, the Genetic Choir, and writer Rob Waumans.

Moth expert Rob Timmer of IVN set a moth light trap and shared with the public sitings of species not recorded before in Utrecht.

Photography by Aafke Holwerda