Xmas Moths at The Lodge...........Boxing Day

A stroll around The Lodge grounds on Sunday 27th proved good hunting for Winter flying moths. I think we did well to record 3 species, obviously these will be recorded for 26th.

The top photo is an extremely well marked Mottled Umber; our 1st ever!

Middle has to be a Northern Winter Moth, probably the 2nd we've found at The Lodge. This one showing the large, pure white hindwings and light overall colour very well.

The bottom photo is the smaller and darker Winter Moth, the comparison is striking once studied side by side........All in all a very productive visit.

December Heralds a Surprise..........10/12

This Herald was hibernating under a piece of antique furniture which was stored in Blunham and moved to Upper Caldecote. As it is now spending the Winter in a sheltered area by the house, I've shamelessly ticked it!
Otherwise the garden and trap have been empty since 20/11.........
The quest continues for the fabled Mottled Umber.

Emmelina monodactyla..........01/12

This is 1 of 2 of this 'Plume' species found in the house yesterday. Other than that, the trap drought continues in the latest wet and windy weather..........

Where have all the Moths gone?

A 7 day spell without a single moth. So not to be out done, I've given the trap a lick of paint and it'll be back out again tonight............

The Winter Garden.........20/11

Well, we're slowly picking 'em off with the addition of Winter Moth (top) to the garden list. Also a second appearance of a December Moth (above) on the shed door. Finally a Silver Y was found hiding in the trap; quite a good haul for this time of year.
The only other moth recently was the reappearance of the same Scarce Umber on 18/11.

Scarcely anything about.........17/11

..........But this Scarce Umber was consolation for keeping the trap burning through the last week or so. It turned up fairly early in the evening and was gone by morning. Probably due to strong, gusting winds in the latter stages of the night. This was the only moth recorded, in previous nights I've trapped;

• 15/11 November Moth agg., Feathered Thorn
• 16/11 Red-line Quaker
  

(Northern?)Winter at The Lodge........14/11

After no activity what so ever in the Caldecote trap over the last 4 nights, a quick call into The Lodge (Sun 15th) for a walk round the trails was in order. A quick stop around the buildings produced;

• November Moth agg. -5
• Feathered Thorn
• Sprawler
• Northern Winter Moth?- photo

Unfortunately the flash has over exposed the shot and the fine lines across the wings aren't clearly visible! Never mind, maybe next time.

N.B.25/11 Having now caught a Winter Moth (21/11), this specimen seems to be much bigger and paler and has all the hallmarks of a Northern................

Mystery.......?......10/11

The only moth in the trap this morning. Very faded, 19mm from nose to wing tip. It probably looks slightly lighter than the photos suggest. The brick red markings on the wings were probably once much bolder as a lot of it has worn away. Outer edge of wing almost transparent due to wear, with some damage. The most apparent thing to me was the contrast between leg colour (orange brown) to the rest of the body and wings (light straw/yellow).

I.D now confirmed as a 'Brick'. All be it a very tatty one at the end of it's flight season. Thanks to Ian Woiwod and Beds Moth Group.

Urban Sprawl............09/11

This very faded Sprawler is another garden 1st and the only moth in the trap.

December Moth.........8/11

The trap claims another debutant! No wonder he's got his own fur coat on, its a cold night out there. Found in the trap just after 8.00pm and its down to just 6°C already!

T.T.O.S on Tour at The Lodge..........07/11

And a very successful outing it was too! The photo at the top is a November Moth agg. One of 13 found around the buildings.
Next down is a Spruce Carpet found on the main building.

The last 2 photos are of a Sprawler, 1 of 2 found. Louie also found a deceased Yellow-line Quaker (example on previous post). Not a bad haul really as we were only at The Lodge to see the Firecrests!
The garden trap in Upper Caldecote produced just a Silver Y.

Another Quaker.........6/11

Another smaller, more visibly marked Yellow-line Quaker was the highlight, again very little over recent days;

• 4/11- Another blank
• 5/11- November Moth agg. , Feathered Thorn, Silver Y
• 6/11- Yellow-line Quaker
  

Slim Pickings...........

Not a great deal around over recent nights. Not helped by a full moon and clear, cold nights. This Yellow-line Quaker on 1st November was 1 of just 3 moths in 4 nights.

......................................................

31/10 November Moth agg.

1/11 Yellow-line Quaker

2/11 The 1st time the trap and surrounds have been totally empty!

3/11 Pale Mottled Willow- very faded

30/10...........

.............Just a Lesser Yellow Underwing

Y am I bothering?.............29/10

• The trap bore nothing but a solitary Silver Y......

28/10..............

Just 2 last night. Including this very pale November Moth agg., the 1st seen since 19th. Also a single Mallow.

27/10.............

1. Feathered Thorn
2. Green-brindled Crescent
3. Large Yellow Underwing

It's all getting a little predictable now. Hopefully the Crescent and Thorn are different ones. When they are recovered from the trap they are taken to the bottom of the garden out of eye shot from the light. This is a distance of over 100ft.

Satellite..............26/10

This is the 100th Macro Moth for the garden in less than 4 months of trapping. The list has been hovering on 99 for over 2 weeks. The only other moth was another/the same? Feathered Thorn. Another overcast, mild night with a light SE wind. Temp 10°C.

25/10.......

Last night's Feathered Thorn was only the 2nd record so far. Also a forth record for Green-brindled Crescent as well as a Silver Y.

24/10..........

The Worst night in the traps short history with just 1 solitary Blair's Shoulder-knot recorded!

23/10..........

2 Lesser Yellow Underwings were the 1st seen since 10th October. Other than that, a very slow night considering it was overcast and extremely mild (11-12°C);

1. Lesser Yellow Underwing -2
2. Blair's Shoulder-knot
3. Mallow
   
   

22/10......

Not a great deal around. Low cloud with a lot of condensation. Temp, 6-8°C, Light SE breeze;

1. Large Yellow Underwing -2
2. Beaded Chestnut
3. Green-brindled Crescent- a different one than last night's

Trap Craft!

The patented double perspex bracket system (made from 6mm ply for all you trap anoraks!)

21/10............

Mallow - Looks very light in colour, a closer look shows droplets of condensation!

Green-brindled Crescent

Deep-brown Dart

Much better last night with little wind, cloud cover and higher temperature.(8-9°C) 11 0f 6 recorded;

1. Large Yellow Underwing -5
2. Mallow -2
3. Willow Beauty
4. Barred Sallow
5. Green-brindled Crescent
6. Deep-brown Dart

20/10..............instant dividends

After scoring just 3 for the past 2 nights we finally did a little better. This may possibly be due to the trap's increased pulling power!
Large Yellow Underwings (photo) are back on a night seeing 8 of 5 species.

1. Angle Shades
2. Deep- brown Dart
3. SHebrewC
4. Beaded Chestnut
5. Large Yellow Underwing -4

New improved trap!

The trap has now been revamped. The old hinged door has been removed so there is more light shining in. The old acrylic has been replaced by 6mm perspex (supplied inadvertently by Tesco- liberated by Mr. T Duval of We are the Campions!) which is much more rigid. It has allowed me to take out all of the supports, hence making it easier to extract the contents!

19/10................

This Silver Y was the only moth actually in the trap last night!

The top image shows how hard to find November Moths can be! This one has settled on a Pear Tree. Another cold night down to 4 degrees and only 3 Moths again;

• Red-line Quaker
• November Moth agg.
• Silver Y (bottom photo)

18/10.............

A typical Autumnal night with no moon and broken cloud. Temps were well down on previous nights (5-7 degrees). As a result, it was a poor night in the trap.

• Silver Y
• November Moth agg.
• Shuttle-shaped Dart

17/10.......

1. November Moth agg. -2
2. Red-line Quaker- a larger, very well marked individual
3. Barred Sallow
4. La. Yel. Underwing
5. Common Marbled Carpet

Slim pickings last night with a noticeable temperature drop. But a Sallow species every night for the last 4.

Another Dusky-lemon Sallow............16/10

This was last night's highlight. A fairly cold and breezy night with 10 of 7 species;

1. Beaded Chestnut -3, including a dark form specimen
2. La. Yel. Underwing
3. S S Dart
4. November Moth agg.
5. SHebrewC
6. Barred Sallow
7. Dusky-lemon Sallow
   
   

15/10...........

Not as exciting as yesterday, but this Garden Rose Tortrix was new for the trap. It was one of 12 Moths of 9 species;

1. Willow Beauty -2
2. Beaded Chestnut -2
3. La. Y Underwing -2
4. Angle Shades
5. Sallow
6. Silver Y
7. Grey Pine Carpet
8. SHebrewC
9. Garden Rose Tortrix

Caldecopia!......14/10

A superb night with 13 of 9 species recorded. As well as the 2 new ones, Green-brindled Crescent (left)and Dusky-lemon Sallow. There was also another different Merveille du Jour!
This is the best October night so far and brings the Macro Moth total for the garden to 99.

1. La. Yell. Uderwing -2
2. Beaded Chestnut -3
3. Blair's S-k -2
4. Merveille du Jour
5. Red-line Quaker
6. Willow Beauty
7. Angle Shades
8. Green-brindled Crescent
9. Dusky-lemon Sallow (photo right)

Dark Chestnut?............No.......Beaded!

I thinks this is a Dark Chestnut? see above post for the rest of the haul.

Thanks to Melissa this has been confirmed as a very dark Beaded Chestnut! All the others I have had so far have been, well......Chestnut.

November rain.....13/10

This November Moth sp. was a garden 1st, found whilst emptying the trap on a drizzly morning. Plenty of cloud cover and little wind made for another fairly warm night.
As well as this, a second generation Blood-vein (bottom), much smaller than the ones found in June and July. Also-

• Willow Beauty
• La. Y Underwing
• Red-line Quaker
• Pale Mottled Willow

Knot much about.....12/10

I moved the trap down the garden in the hopes of getting more coverage. But I failed to consider the lack of shelter; the result being, the trap was soaked by morning dew. Difficult to know if this made a difference to the haul. But I think I'll just use the more sheltered position near the house again. It was a cold, clear night with only 3 species recorded.

• Grey Shoulder-knot- only the 3rd time noted (photo).
• Setaceous Hebrew Character
• Common Marbled Carpet

The French Connection.......11/10

Bonjour! Another couple of new editions to the garden list. By far the best was this Merveille du Jour (above), it looks even more striking in real life than in any field guide!
As well as this, a Feathered Thorn (right) was skulking beside the trap.
Other trappings;

• SS Dart -2
• Lunar U -2
• Black Rustic -2
• Beaded Chestnut
• Garden Carpet
  

............10/10

Nothing as good as yesterday, but numbers were up on a cloudy, fairly warm night. Another 3 Beaded Chestnuts (photo) and another Spruce Carpet were the pick of the bunch;

1. Shuttle-shaped Dart -7
2. Lunar Underwing -3
3. Beaded Chestnut -3
4. Large Yellow Underwing -2
5. Lesser Yellow Underwing
6. Garden Carpet -2
7. Common Marbled Carpet
8. Spruce Carpet
9. Willow Beauty
10. Vapourer- male seen during the day
    

Red letter day!..............09/10

This rather tatty individual is the garden's 1st Red Underwing. Modelled by Louie, you can just about see how big it is! The fore wing measured at least 1 1/2 " and is the largest Underwing we have seen so far.

The photo to the right is a Red-line Quaker and again is a garden 1st. I manged to get a quick picture before it flew.

It was another good night for variety with 10 of 9 species recorded;

1. Large Yellow Underwing -2
2. Red Underwing
3. Lunar Underwing
4. Shuttle-shaped Dart
5. Black Rustic
6. Spruce Carpet
7. Blair's Shoulder-knot
8. Setaceous Hebrew Character
9. Red-line Quaker