A strange Character

Amongst the throng of Early Grey and Clouded Drab last night was this unusually marked Hebrew Character - well known for the variability in its markings, this one stood out though.






Also year firsts of Red-green Carpet and Angle Shades.

Usual suspects already?

Amazing isn't it, only a couple of weeks ago we were all bemoaning the drought of moths and yet already those now turning up are falling in to the 'usual suspects' category...

Now getting a steady flow of Orthosias each night with the odd representative from other families, including a few more micros.

Signs of life...

Having run the trap for three consecutive nights a few more moths are now turning up, although numbers are still very low:

4 Hebrew Character
Common Quaker
March Moth
Chestnut
Dark Chestnut
2 Agonopterix heracliana
2 Emmelina monodactyla

Fifty not out for 2013

Well I have finally limped over the 50 species total for this year. although given the moth drought so far this year I mustn't grumble; even compared to the amazing March last year, it has only taken about an extra week to reach this milestone.

Of course the vast majority of this total are micros, which account for 80% thus far.  The latest species to push the figure on to 50 are: Elachista apicipunctella, Argyresthia brockeella and Epinotia immundana the only recent-ish macro addition being a single March Moth.


Elachista apicipunctella


Argyresthia brockeella

The key to this success is simple - early stage daytime searches (including the rearing through of some of these to confirm ID's).  Many of my trials and tribulations in this area are covered in more detail on my blog dedicated to micros: http://kentmicromoths.blogspot.co.uk/

Dave

Après moi, le deluge??

Whilst this time last year all the talk was of a drought in relation to lack of rainfall, there is a drought again this year, only this time it is of moths; spring is really taking its time to arrive this year...

Also on a drought theme, the post-Orthosia drought is well documented, but a pre-Orthosia drought too; it is almost too much to bear.

However, for the first time in weeks I put the trap on for a few hours yesterday evening and managed to end the drought, albeit with a single March Moth, that was at least new for the year list, so I should be thankful for small mercies.  Also had Dotted Border on the blackthorn thicket when dusking.






I just hope the March Moth was a portent: "Après moi, le deluge", one can only hope we will soon be under a deluge of moths, but looking at the weather I doubt it just yet.

Dave

Brachypterous beauty

After long hours scouring bushes and trunks, finally managed to locate this wonderful female Dotted Border.

She was not an easy catch as she was scuttling up an Ash tree trunk and I had to clamber about 10ft up, wedge myself so that my hands were free and then coax her into a pot. Having the head torch was essential. I don't know what anyone walking past would have thought...







Dave

Slight improvement

Well the respite from really cold and wintry weather has seen a rise in the number of moths around with a few being added to the garden year list including Early Moth, Early Grey and Chestnut.

Early Moth




Early Grey



The most notable sighting though was of a significant flush of emergence of Dotted Border and Early Moth, with the blackthorn bushes by the house literally crawling with them two evenings ago.



This was followed a night later by a flush of dozens of Agonopterix heracliana on the garden hedge, was fascinating to see so many at once.