NFG's

Recently, I clocked up moth species #650 for the garden. It is now getting very difficult to find new macro species, there is little likelihood of getting more than a few per year. But in the micro department, I still have plenty of wriggle room. This is mainly due to (a) Not patrolling the traps at night- this is the best chance of something new as most micro species are gone by morning. Skinner traps tend not to hold too many and most manage to abscond well before morning. (b) Not retaining- I have had plenty of chances to retain Cnephasias (Grey Tortrix), Coleophoras and Phyllonorycters. I haven't bothered over the years, as I can't be arsed. But these three groups alone could yield 10's of new garden ticks.

Below are my latest offerings, all micros were caught by Keely and Louie's relentless daytime netting along the hedgerow- I don't know where they get it from!

Cherry-bark Moth Enarmonia formosana

NFG- A long awaited tick on 7th June. A lack of suitable food plants in the area

Silky Wainscot

NFG, 16th June- Only the 7th record for Beds VC30. But my garden punches well above its weight for Wetland species.

Psyche casta

 NFG, 17th June. Swept from the hedge by Louie and is the first 'Bagworm' type micro I have seen.

Apple Leaf Skeletonizer Choreutis pariana

 NFG, 22nd June- No doubt the best name for a moth in the whole book! Yet again, swept from the hedge, this time by Keely. Surprisingly scarce- only the 12th VC30 record of this species, though is almost certainly overlooked. Skeletonizer indeed!