Eye of the storm- 7/8th May

A brief warm interlude in an otherwise cold, wet and windy week allowed me to trap for a rare two nights in a row. Unfortunately this didn't last, so the the lights will be on standby for the near future. This is a selection of the new species over the two nights, others not pictured were Common Carpet and Pale Mottled Willow.

Nut-tree Tussock

NFY- 7th May

 Streamer

Left it late- NFY 7th May

672 Parsnip Moth Depressaria heraclei 

NFY- 7th May

 697 Agonopterix arenella

NFY- 7th May

808 Platyedra subcinerea

This nationally scarce species is a regular sight in the garden- NFY 8th May.

 Pale Tussock

NFY- 8th May

 Waved Umber

NFY- 8th May

 Nut-tree Tussock

This is the first time I have seen the dark form of the species.

Home Wood Catch Report- 21/03/2011

This was the 1st manned trip to the wood and conditions couldn't have been better. A still, overcast night with the temperature hovering around 12°C. In fact when I got home at 10.30pm it was still an extremely mild 10.6°C.

We elected to use a  100w FUL Actinic Skinner in Location #1 and a set up comprising of 2x 80w MV lights and a sheet in Location#2. Location map available- HERE, there is also a Home Wood page on the right under 'Lists & Info'. Please scroll to the bottom of this post for the results-

Red-green Carpet

Only 1 caught using MV.

 Shoulder-stripe / Brindled Pug

The variable Shoulder-stripe was one of the most numerous (top).

 Lead-coloured Drab

Just 1 of this target species, attracted to Actinic light.

 Streamer

4 in total

 Small Brindled Beauty

Numbers lower than last time out- 4 in total

 Acleris cristana 1054

1 of 2 caught by MV light- location #2

 Acleris furrugana/notana 1044/45

1 caught by MV light

 Acleris literana 1061

Undoubtedly the star of the show- caught by MV light- location #2

The traps were on from 7.00pm until 9.40pm , Observers M. Burgess, L. Burgess

The results- 134 of 26 species-   key- 100w FUL Actinic (loc.#1),  2x80w MV & sheet (loc.#2)

• 2187 Common Quaker- (10 - 8) = 18 Site 1st
• 2188 Clouded Drab- (5 - 0) = 5
• 2182 Small Quaker- (8 - 0) = 8 Site 1st
• 1947 Engrailed- (6 - 5) = 11
• 1930 Oak Beauty- (6 - 4) = 10 Site 1st
• 1925 Small Brindled Beauty- (0 - 4) = 4
• 1747 Streamer- (2 - 2) = 4 Site tick
• 1746 Shoulder-stripe- (10 - 6) = 16 Site 1st
• 1852 Brindled Pug- (1 - 1) = 2 Site 1st
• 2258 Chestnut- (5 - 2) = 7 Site 1st
• 2139 Red Chestnut- (5 - 2) = 7 Site 1st
• 2256 Satellite- (4 - 3) = 7 Site 1st
• 2190 Hebrew Character- (4 - 3) = 7
• 1663 March Moth- (5 - 3) = 8
• 2185 Lead-coloured Drab- (1 - 0) = 1 Site 1st
• 1659 Yellow Horned- (0 - 1) = 1 Site 1st
• 2243 Early Grey- (0 - 2) = 2 Site 1st
• 1760 Red-green Carpet- (0 - 1) = 1 Site 1st
• 2259 Dark Chestnut- (1 - 0) = 1 Site 1st

Micros-

• 663 Diurnea fagella- (2 - 4) = 6 Site 1st
• 1524 Emmelina monodactyla- (1 - 0) = 1 Site 1st
• 1025 Tortricodes alternella- (0 - 1) = 1
• 688 Agonopterix heracliana- (0 - 2) = 2 Site 1st
• 1054 Acleris cristana- (0 - 2) = 2 Site 1st
• 1044/5 Acleris furrugana/notana- (0 - 1) = 1 Site 1st
• 1061 Acleris literana- ( 0 - 1) = 1 Site 1st

Notable absences were Pine Beauty and Twin-spotted Quaker, both of which I thought we'd get.

Thorn Bird.....25/04

Early Thorn (female) Streamer

Mompha subbistrigella

The count was low but the variety was fair as the temperatures continue to rise. It was nice to see a 1st female Early Thorn, 1 of the 2 caught. The micro was found in the house and is another new 1 for the list. I also put a battery trap out at Broom GP, but only caught 4 moths-

Upper Caldecote

1. Early Thorn- 2
2. Hebrew Character- 2
3. Mompha subbistrigella- 2- 1st
4. Powdered Quaker
5. Chestnut
6. Clouded Drab
7. Streamer- 2nd record
8. Agonopterix arenella- 2nd record

Broom GP

1. Hebrew Character- 2
2. Clouded Drab
3. Powdered Quaker- site 1st

.............10/04

Powdered Quaker Streamer Brindled Pug?

Another pretty decent night for variety although the Streamer and Brindled Beauty are possibly the same ones as last night's. The kids were given the duty of taking the BB 'as far away from the trap as possible' this obviously must have meant a few feet away! The Streamer flew into next door's garden yesterday and has probably returned, at least I got another chance for a picture.

Later this morning (11th) we looked around RSPB The Lodge and found what I think are Brindled Pugs, 3 in total. The Powdered Quaker is another debutant and was found on the shed. The full list, 22 of 9 species is as follows-

1. Common Quaker- 7
2. Clouded Drab- 4
3. Hebrew Character- 3
4. Emmelina monodactyla- 3 High Count
5. Small Quaker
6. Agonopterix heracliana
7. Brindled Beauty
8. Streamer
9. Powdered Quaker- Garden 1st

The Hattrick........09/04

Brindled Beauty Streamer Early Thorn Agonopterix arenella

It's been a little while since something new turned up. So I thought I would have a good chance on such a great evening. The omens were good with barely a breath of wind and nice warm, overcast conditions. The photo of the Streamer is terrible! It is actually in mid flight and flew away before I could get another shot! The catch-

1. Clouded Drab- 9
2. Common Quaker- 4
3. Hebrew Character- 3
4. Early Thorn- 2
5. Brindled Beauty- 1 Garden 1st
6. Streamer- 1 Garden 1st
7. Agonopterix arenella- 1 Garden 1st
8. Agonopterix heracliana- 1
9. Emmelina monodactyla- 1