.......and still they come

Overnight conditions were mild but extremely wet. Just one trap out, though it was under the overhanging shed roof. 8 species is exceptional for this time of year, also nice to see there is still some migrants around.

 Rusty Dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis

December Moth

After keeping this female in a pot for a day, it layed eggs which will hopefully hatch in the next few weeks. They are common in my garden, probably on account of the mature Hawthorn on two of the boundaries. Apparently, they also feed on Oak and Birch.

Upper Caldecote Garden- 22-11-2014- 1x Twin T12 Synergetic Skinner, 8 of 8 species

0464  Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella)  1
1395  Rusty-dot Pearl (Udea ferrugalis)  1
1524  Emmelina monodactyla  1
1631  December Moth (Poecilocampa populi)  1 NFY
1799  Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata)  1
2240  Blair's Shoulder-knot (Lithophane leautieri)  1
2259  Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula)  1
2263  Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota)  1

500 up..............

For the 2nd year in a row I've managed to record 500 species in the garden. I haven't trapped quite as much this year, but even so would have struggled to beat last year's 522 species. These are my last four NFY's.

Sprawler

Only the 2nd garden record on 14th November. Last caught, 9th November 2009.

Mottled Umber

This is the 5th record of this species. One per year since 2010. NFY, 15th November.

Winter Moth

Common in the garden and usually seen first at the beginning of the year. NFY, 15th November 

Scarce Umber 

 Only the 3rd record. NFY, 18th November. Last seen 28th November 2011.

October top 20

I did this last year with a very different outcome. It shows clearly just how good an October it was in 2013.  Last year's winner has been relegated to 4th place and to put it in context, I caught 63 Setaceous Hebrew Character on just one night ( 2nd October 2013). Whereas in 2014 it took a whole month to catch just 33! (not that I'm complaining)

October 2014

2267 Agrochola lychnidis  Beaded Chestnut 63
2092 Agrotis puta  Shuttle-shaped Dart  54
2240 Lithophane leautieri hesperica  Blair's Shoulder-knot 52
2126 Xestia c-nigrum  Setaceous Hebrew Character 33
2232 Aporophyla nigra  Black Rustic 31
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa  Lunar Underwing 26
1795x Epirrita dilutata agg.  November Moth agg. 19
0998 Epiphyas postvittana  Light Brown Apple Moth 18
2107 Noctua pronuba  Large Yellow Underwing 17
1760 Chloroclysta siterata  Red-green Carpet 15
1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria  Willow Beauty 15
2245 Allophyes oxyacanthae  Green-brindled Crescent  14
2263 Agrochola lota   Red-line Quaker 13
1745 Larentia clavaria  Mallow 12
2109 Noctua comes  Lesser Yellow Underwing 12
1764 Chloroclysta truncata  Common Marbled Carpet 11
2231 Aporophyla lutulenta  Deep-brown Dart 11
1395 Udea ferrugalis  Rusty-dot Pearl 9
2375 Rhizedra lutosa  Large Wainscot 8
0464 Plutella xylostella  Diamond-back Moth 8

October 2013

2126 Xestia c-nigrum  Setaceous Hebrew Character 208
2107 Noctua pronuba  Large Yellow Underwing 118
2267 Agrochola lychnidis  Beaded Chestnut 117
2240 Lithophane leautieri  Blair's Shoulder-knot 76
2389 Paradrina clavipalpis  Pale Mottled Willow 44
2232 Aporophyla nigra  Black Rustic 39
2109 Noctua comes  Lesser Yellow Underwing 39
2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa  Lunar Underwing 35
1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria  Willow Beauty 31
2091 Agrotis ipsilon   Dark Sword-grass 19
1745 Larentia clavaria  Mallow 19
2092 Agrotis puta  Shuttle-shaped Dart  17
2306 Phlogophora meticulosa  Angle Shades 15
0998 Epiphyas postvittana  Light Brown Apple Moth 14
2264 Agrochola macilenta  Yellow-line Quaker  12
2375 Rhizedra lutosa  Large Wainscot 12
1764 Chloroclysta truncata  Common Marbled Carpet 11
1760 Chloroclysta siterata  Red-green Carpet 9
2263 Agrochola lota   Red-line Quaker 8
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 8