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.

Away we go.....

Finally, the moths begin to arrive...much warmer (dare I say almost hot temperatures) have resulted in the expected upturn in fortunes both when dusking and to the garden trap. Macros still predominate to the trap whilst micros continue to be encountered much more when dusking.

And the Puss Moths reared from eggs last year have started to emerge from their long slumber with 5 thus far.  They're crawling all over the kitchen in a "My family and other animals" sort of way....

Catch report - 125W MV back garden trap, East Kent

Cochylis atricapitana
LBAM - 7
Parsnip Moth
Endrosis sarcitrella
Pale Prominent
Waved Umber - 3
Small Waved Umber
Angle Shades
Flame Shoulder - 2
Green Carpet - 12
Common Carpet
Red Twin-spot carpet
Shuttle-shaped Dart
Clouded Drab
Fern
Shears
Latticed Heath

Some photo highlights:
 

Bits and pieces

Too windy last night for anything decent to the trap:

5 Epiphyas postvittana
Early Grey
Angle Shades




Dusking (in the lee of any shelter) was slightly more productive:

7 Cosmiotes freyerella
Depressaria heraclei
Brimstone Moth
2 Green Carpet



Fingers crossed that the forecast for the weekend holds true and that the wind dies down a bit...

Dave

Catch report: back garden MV trap, 8th May 2012

Still no more than ticking over but at least a list, of sorts, from last night:

Agonopterix arenella 
Epiphyas postvittana - 8 (are they bouncing back this year?)
Emmelina monodactyla
Angle Shades
Brimstone

and two new for year...

 Rustic Shoulder-knot
 

Common Swift
 

Usual suspects plus cat for ID...

A new month but on the moth front it is decidedly business as usual.  Of note was the record total of 7 Dotted Border for the garden trap.

Back Garden trap results 1st March 2012

Tortricodes alternella
Emmelina monodactyla 3
Dotted Border 7

Hebrew Character 9
Early Moth 2
Satellite
Chestnut 2
Pale Brindled Beauty

Plus on the night time dog walk:

Female Early Moth
Angle Shades caterpillar
Three as yet unidentified caterpillars (ca. 17mm long), browsing on Blackthorn buds (comments welcomed) Edit: Thanks to Douglas over on Back Garden Moths - these look like Lesser Y U cats.

Dave

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