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

A tale of 3 Vices...

...3 Vice Counties that is: East Gloucestershire, Breconshire and East Kent.

A weekend trip to a wedding in the Brecon Beacons offered plenty of opportunity for moth recording much further afield with a stop-over in Gloucestershire on the way.

Ran the 125W MV in a rural garden in Grafton, Gloucestershire, close to a blossoming Sallow and had probably the best March night I've ever had:

112 Small Quaker
47 Clouded Drab
39 Hebrew Character
19 Common Quaker
11 Twin-spotted Quaker
5 Lead Coloured Drab (NFY)
5 Red Chestnut (NFY)
2 Satellite
2 Engrailed (NFY)
Double striped Pug (NFY)
Dotted Border
Pale Pinion (NFY)
March Moth
Early Thorn (NFY)
Chestnut
Agonopterix heracliana
A. alstromeriana
Parsnip moth












Although busy with the wedding, manged a few species around the lighted windows/security lights of the hotel (near Bwlch):

Red Sword-grass (NFY) - or what was left of it in a spider's web:





Mottled Grey (NFY)
Twin-spotted Quaker
Common Quaker
Small Quaker
March Moth
Clouded Drab
Hebrew Character

Plus Psychoides filicivora mines and possibly its congener, P. verhuella (larvae being reared through but will also have closer inspection in the week). 


On return home and cold, foggy conditions, still fired up the garden trap last night which yielded zip!


But all in all a very productive weekend all round.

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

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...

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

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