The End of Summer........

.........usually means the end of huge amounts of 'brown stuff' and heralds the beginning of more manageable numbers and the odd splash of colour.

Brown-spot Pinion f. rufa-pallida

 I don't get many B-s P's anyway. But have never seen the aberrant form before.

Centre-barred Sallow

Deep-brown Dart

Large & Small Ranunculus

 Caught on 18th September, this is the first time I've ever caught both on the same night. Whereas Large Ranunculus have remained fairly constant (4-5 per year), Small Ranunculus have become much more common. The late second generation idividuals overlap with their larger name sakes.

Orange Sallow

Sallow

White-point

A good year for these- this is my 3rd record so far.

Just into Autumn ....... it's already over!.......

...................and very little time for mothing of late as my extension (promised to the Mrs for years!!) is finally under way. So I've been coping with lack of time and even space at times, especially when building materials have encroached onto my prime mothing locations. We do now have power at the bottom of the garden again, so I have been putting the trap on at weekends.

However, I need not worry; for Trent, in the style of Paddy Power has paid out early! Although he flogged his guts out to squeeze every last species out of his small town garden, he has fallen short by a considerable margin. Ironically, if the competition had been 'all in' as last year he would at this stage be 12 species in front- due to his superior micro moth list..................

Anyway, here is a few highlights from the last month- starting with the winnings!

The Wine

..............and for the most species of Macro Moths in 2012 with a total of? Well, I don't know yet. But probably not as good as last year's 253. Already dispatched- very nice indeed and Trent drank half of it anyway!

1332 Scoparia subfusca

 

A garden 1st, 24th August.

 Orange Sallow

First seen since 2009, found in the house- 9th September.

 Frosted Orange

 Large Thorn

A 2nd for the year, caught under a 15w BLB bulb, 16th September.

A 'real' Brown-spot Pinion

Quite rare in my garden- only the 2nd record, unlike Lunar Underwings- eh Trent? 22nd September.

 Deep-brown Dart

1st of the year, 22nd September.

........21st/22nd Sept.

Winds have died down and temperatures are up. This has lead to an increased catch over the last two days. Three new macros to add, but still no sign of the 200th micro for the year. The rest of the weekend and Monday looks good though, with a leaf-mining trip into Home Wood planned before the month's end.

Brindled Green

Only the 3rd record for the garden, I'm averaging one per year.......

 Deep-brown Dart

One of two caught, 20th September........

The result- 21-09-2011- Twin 15w Actinic/UV Skinner- 54 of 18 species-

• 1342 Eudonia angustea 1 
• 1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1 
• 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 2 
• 2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 2 
• 2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 10 
•  2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 5 
•  2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 1 
•  2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 1 
•  2231 Aporophyla lutulenta Deep-brown Dart 2 NFY 
•  2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 3 
•  2248 Dryobotodes eremita Brindled Green 1 NFY 
•  2252 Polymixis flavicincta Large Ranunculus 1 
•  2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 13 
•  2274 Xanthia icteritia Sallow 1 
•  2306 Phlogophora meticulosa Angle Shades 1 
•  2353 Luperina testacea Flounced Rustic 2 
•  2384 Hoplodrina ambigua Vine's Rustic 4 
•  2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 3

The result- 22-09-2011- Twin 15w Actinic/UV Skinner- 55 of 16 species-

• 1745 Larentia clavaria Mallow 1 NFY 
• 1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 1 
• 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 4 
• 1961 Campaea margaritata Light Emerald 1 
• 2087 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth 1 
• 2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 4 
• 2107 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing 11 
• 2109 Noctua comes Lesser Yellow Underwing 2 
• 2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 2
• 2134 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic 2 
• 2232 Aporophyla nigra Black Rustic 1 
• 2252 Polymixis flavicincta Large Ranunculus 1 
• 2270 Omphaloscelis lunosa Lunar Underwing 19 
• 2274 Xanthia icteritia Sallow 1 
• 2384 Hoplodrina ambigua Vine's Rustic 1 
• 2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 3

...........28/09

After the Lord Mayor's Show really.......Only half the species of the night before. But at least I still have a few of the commoner varieties still to pick off. This year my main target is Pink-barred Sallow as I got all of the other common ones last year. Looking at other blogs, I see they are at large and even Trent Duval (We are the Campions) has caught one. This however will not curtail his visit to the 'offy' come December.

Black Rustic - Deep-brown Dart

The run down-

1. Lunar Underwing- 6
2. Large Yellow Underwing- 5
3. Willow Beauty- 5
4. Black Rustic- 4
5. Blair's Shoulder-knot- 2
6. Lesser Yellow Underwing- 2
7. Pale Mottled Willow- 2
8. Mallow- 2
9. Shuttle-shaped Dart- 2
10. Turnip Moth- 2
11. Setaceous Hebrew Character
12. Common Wainscot
13. Deep-brown Dart- 2nd Record
14. Vine's Rustic
15. Small Dusty Wave
16. Square-spot Rustic

Deep-brown Dart.......18/09

After another 5 day drought and some terrible weather, this turns up. Last night was the best in a while, though still fairly windy. Hopefully next week's weather will be slightly more moth friendly!

Deep-brown Dart

1st of the year.

 Lesser Yellow Underwing

 Lunar Underwing

1 of many........

The full count was as follows-

1. Large Yellow Underwing- 8
2. Pale Mottled Willow- 7- High Count
3. Lunar Underwing- 7
4. Turnip Moth- 5
5. Square-spot Rustic- 3
6. Common Wainscot- 3
7. Setaceous Hebrew Character- 2
8. Vine's Rustic- 2
9. Deep-brown Dart- 1 Year Tick
10. Lesser Yellow Underwing
11. Light Brown Apple Moth
12. Ringed China-mark
13. Flounced Rustic

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

Deep-brown Dart.......29/09

A decent variety, with 37 of 14 species recorded. This Deep-brown Dart is only a 3rd record for the garden.

• SS Dart 9
• Lunar U 6
• LYU 4
• Black Rustic 4
• Willow Beauty 4
• Mallow 2
• SHebrewC
• Pale M Willow
• Deep-b Dart
• Less. YU
• Barred Sallow
• Blair's S-k
• Rustic/Uncertain
• Beaded Chestnut
  

17/09/2009

A bigger variety on a still night. 26 of 16 species recorded. All new for the trap were; Broard-bordered Yellow Underwing, Deep-brown Dart (top left) and Spruce Carpet (top Right).

• BBYU 2
• LYU 5
• Lunar U 4
• Lesser YU 2
• SHebrewC 2
• Common Wainscot 1
• Sallow 1
• Black Rustic 1
• Common Marbled Carpet 1
• Spruce Carpet 1
• Deep-brown Dart 1
• SS Dart 1
• Orange Swift 1
• Willow Beauty 1
• Pale Mottled Willow 1
• Vapourer- flying during the day but gone before a photo!