A good weekend

Added several species to the year list over the last few days with a combination of the garden trap, nearby dusking and visit to ancient woodland at Kings Wood, Challock.

Garden trapping 25-27 February

Ypsolopha mucronella

Agonopterix alstromeriana 

A. heracliana
Tortricodes alternella
Emmelina monodactyla 

Dotted Border

March Moth
Early Moth
Pale Brindled Beauty
Hebrew Character
Chestnut
Satellite

Dusking adjacent to garden:

Dark Chestnut
Early Moth
E. monodactyla
A. heracliana
Angle Shades cat.

Kings Wood - daytime obs

Taleporia tubulosa - cases, all on Beech

Agonopterix assimilella - larvae on Broom

T. alternella
Stigmella aurella - mines on Bramble

All in all a very productive weekend for late February.

Dave

A much improved night

Last night actually delivered a good cast of the usual early spring suspects to the garden trap:

Tortricodes alternella (2)
Agonopterix heracliana 
A. alstromeriana

Early Moth
Chestnut
Satellite (2, both with white markings this time)

Common Quaker

Dave

Another new for year and a vestigial winged female (updated with pics)

Well it was mild, as promised, last night, but rather blustery.

However, had two moths in the trap:  Tortricodes alternella (new for year) and Agonopteix heracliana.

Perhaps the highlight was finding a female Early Moth (Theria primaria), on the blackthorn bushes just over the garden hedge.  Spend hours of searching for these each winter while out walking the dog and usually only turn up two or three, so pleased to find this one last night.  Always fascinated by these vestigial-winged beauties.

Dave

New trap 'christened' (updated)

Only one moth to the garden last night, Dark Chestnut, but new for the year and the first moth to the stonking new 125W MV Robinson from ALS: couldn't recommend the trap or the service from Jon Clifton more highly.

Dave

Trapping report: 16th February 2012

MV trap on again in the back garden last night and looks like one more night tonight before a return to colder temperarures:

Early Moth (Theria primaria)
3 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria)

Dave

The steady trickle continues

As the mild weather continues, the trap will be staying out.

Last nights trapping in the garden:

2 Agonopterix heracliana
Pale Brindled Beauty

Not one, not two but THREE moths....

Given the return to somewhat milder temperatures and prompted by seeing good numbers of moths in the car headlights this evening decided to put the trap out, glad I did as the return was a 'bumper catch' of three moths!

125W MV trap, back garden, 18:00 - 06:30

2 Agonopterix heracliana
Satellite (Eupsilia transversa)