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.

Steady does it...

Nothing to set the world alight last night, but a few more new for year, highlight was the micro Phtheochroa rugosana.



Catch report

Epiphyas postvittana
Endrosis sarcitrella
Phtheochroa rugosana

Shuttle-shaped Dart



Waved Umber



Brimstone
Nut-tree Tussock


Early Grey

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

Same old, same old, almost...

The garden trap is definitely seeing a lull at the moment with just relatively low numbers of the usual suspects - Early Grey and Small Quaker most numerous, another couple of Eudonia angustea, whilst Clouded Drabs seem to have dried up.

Had a trip yesterday afternoon, to Fowlmead Country Park, which achieved the main purpose of bagging Orange Underwing for the year list, as two were seen at the first mature birch clump within minutes of arrival (they were the only two in an hour long foray).

Had good success with early stage micros too, including Limnaecia phragmitella larvae and plenty of Ectoedemia heringella mines - details and pics on my Kent Micro Moths blog:

http://kentmicromoths.blogspot.co.uk/

Dave

A strange case of 50 not out

Having been very active in searching for early stages (mines, larvae, cases etc) I reached the total of 50 species for the year yesterday afternoon whilst searching lichen-covered headstones in a churchyard!

There were dozens of Luffia ferchaultella cases wherever there was lichen - I counted 45 on one headstone alone.




And in the trap last night, nothing new just an increase in some of the numbers:

Ypsolopha mucronella
Diurnea fagella 4
Epiphyas postvittana
Clouded Drab 10
Hebrew Character 12
Small Quaker 4
Early Grey 3
Twin-spotted Quaker 3
Common Quaker
March Moth
Oak Beauty

Dave

Catch report 21st March

Catch report 21/3/12, Back garden twin 30W actinic Robinson

Eudonia angustea (nfy)
Emmelina monodactyla
Shoulder Stripe
Hebrew Character 4
Small Quaker 3
Common Quaker
Twin-spotted Quaker 2
Clouded Drab 4
Satellite 2
Early Grey 5

Dave

What a beauty...

Took delivery yesterday of the twin 30W actinic set up from ALS to use as interchangeable with the existing MV electrics on the Robinson trap and gave the light a run out last night. All in all a good result including one new for year that I'd been anticipating for a few days - Oak Beauty. Always a treat and much loved by the kids (keeps them going until the hawkmoth season!)...

Trap Report - Twin 60W actinic Robinson - Back garden


Diurnea fagella 
Agonopterix heracliana
Oak Beauty
Satellite
Twin-spotted Quaker 2
Clouded Drab 4
Common Quaker 2
Small Quaker 3
Early Grey 2
Hebrew Character 5
March Moth

Couldn't resist some of these pics: In this one it's like an old Vulcan bomber with two wingmen And if anyone has any ideas as to what the Clouded Drab said to the Oak Beauty...

Weekend catch-up

Another good few days at the garden trap over the weekend:

Shoulder-stripe (NFY)


Twin-spotted Quaker (nfy)


Diurnea fagella
Ypsolopha mucronella
Agonopterix heracliana
A. alstromeriana
Epiphyas postvittana
Emmelina monodactyla
Pale Brindled Beauty
Common Quaker
Hebrew Character
Early Grey
Dotted Border
Satellite

Last of the February moths

A good night at the garden trap again to end a very productive February:

Spring Usher (NFY)
March Moth
Dotted Border 4
Chestnut 2
Satellite
Hebrew Character 7
Early Grey
Tortricodes alternella 2
Emmelina monodactyla

plus Dark Chestnut out dusking

Latest pics

March Moth

Early Grey

Hebrew Character and its inherent variability

Lets hope March continues in a similar vane

Dave

Catch report 28/2/12

Exceptionally mild yet again, another new for year - Early Grey

Garden trap catch report 28/2/12

Emmelina monodactlya

Agonopterix alstromeriana

A. heracliana

Tortricodes alternella - 2

Early Grey (nfy)

Chestnut

Satellite

Common Quaker

Pale Brindled Beauty

plus another female Early Moth (and 2 males) on the dusking foray.

Dave