The first stirrings...........

............finally appeared after the worst start to a year I've ever had. In fact up until the 16th February, I had only recorded three species; Pale Brindled Beauty, Agonopterix heracliana and Emmelina monodactyla. To be honest I hadn't really put the trap out much, electing to use the single BLB bulb on the shed at the bottom of the garden. On 17th February the wind had finally died down, it had stopped raining and the temperature had increased, so I put out two traps as well as using the bulb.
A quick patrol at 8.00pm revealed a single Ypsolopha ustella, attracted to the bulb, that evaded capture. A moth I didn't see last year. The rest I found in the morning.

Upper Caldecote Garden- 17-02-14 7 of 6 species-

0461  Ypsolopha ustella  1 NFY BLB Bulb
0688  Agonopterix heracliana  2 BLB Bulb
1663  March Moth (Alsophila aescularia)  1 NFY Twin 20w Synergetic Skinner
1932  Spring Usher (Agriopis leucophaearia) 1 NFY Twin 15w Actinic Skinner
2236  Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 1 NFY  Twin 20w Synergetic Skinner
2258  Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) NFY  1 Twin 20w Synergetic Skinner

Chestnut

March Moth

 Pale Pinion

Spring Usher

The night after, another night with three lights burning produced two more NFYs. Singles of Dark Chestnut and Hebrew Character brought the years total to 11 species.