Early Spring Highlights in the garden

Early Grey

NFY, 14th April

Satellite

NFY, 15th April

Early Thorn

NFY, 15th April

Pale Pinion

Only my 3rd record and the 1st in Spring. Not seen in 2012, NFY 17th April

Oak Beauty

NFY, 19th April

 Mystery Micro?

This was found on the outside of a window during the afternoon. It is probably 483 Epermenia chaerophyllella. But I've retained it as it's quite worn.

At last............

..........some warmer weather and some new moths. After a week of not bothering due to cold nights and blustery winds, the lights went back on on 8th March. Six new species in three nights, the best of which was last night. Thirteen species on 10th was very unseasonal indeed.........at least for my garden. Could be another good one tonight.

Clouded Drab

 Common Pug

My earliest record- 8th March 2012

 Small Quaker

Three recorded so far. NFY, 9th March 2012.

Early Grey

NFY, 10th March 2012.

 Early Thorn

NFY, 10th March 2012.

 1497 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

NFY, 10th March 2012.

Upper Caldecote Garden- 10-03-2012- 31 of 13 species-

0688	Agonopterix heracliana		4
0998	Epiphyas postvittana	Light Brown Apple Moth	1
1497	Amblyptilia acanthadactyla		1	NFY
1524	Emmelina monodactyla		5
1663	Alsophila aescularia	March Moth	2
1917	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	1	NFY
1934	Agriopis marginaria	Dotted Border	1
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	2
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	6
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	1
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	4
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	3	NFY
2259	Conistra ligula	Dark Chestnut	1

Blow ins.....09/03

As I haven't been trapping recently due to the cold, I decided to half heartedly put out the trap. I also washed the shed wall with the 25w BLB bulb down the bottom of the garden. This time it wasn't the temperature that was the problem as a constant 5-6°C was recorded throughout the night. The trouble was more the gusting wind which was quite clearly blowing across the garden from the west. But surprisingly this didn't put off the moths and there was a fairly decent haul waiting for me in the morning...........

Yellow Horned

I was well pleased to get this in the garden. I have previously only seen them at The Lodge, RSPB.

Early Grey

Like the Yellow Horned, this was also found under the 25w BLB bulb and is the 2nd record of the year.

The Rest!

This is the majority of the haul and it is no surprise that Common Quaker was again the most populous. Also hiding in there is a single Small Quaker and a Clouded Drab (bottom left).

The Count-   key: 30w Skinner / 25w BLB bulb.

• Common Quaker- 7 (6-1) 46 so far this year.
• Clouded Drab- 2 (1-1)
• Small Quaker- 1 (1)
• Early Grey- 1 (1)
• Yellow Horned- 1 (1)- Garden 1st!

At the moment the BLB bulb seems to be a real draw. I wish I had put it on a bit more last year........

Garden catch up...........

Well, hasn't it been tropical lately compared to the bleak Winter of discontent we've all just endured? After a week as busy as this, it reminds me I need to win the lottery so that I can concentrate on important things such as birding and mothing full time! Anyway, I've got round to putting in a few highlights taken from the last 4 nights.

Dotted Border

1st caught 21st Feb- 3 caught so far

Hebrew Character

1st caught 22nd Feb- 10 caught so far.

 Early Grey

1st caught on 24th Feb- 1 caught so far. 

 March Moth

1st caught 24th Feb- 1 caught so far.

 Small Quaker

1st caught 24th Feb- 4 caught so far.

 Oak Beauty

1st caught 25th Feb- 1 caught so far.

 Engrailed spp.

My only Winter/Spring record- caught 25th Feb.

 Grey Shoulder-knot

My only Winter/Spring record- caught 25th Feb.

Other significant counts so far-

• Common Quaker- 38
• A. heracliana- 11
• Dark Chestnut- 4
• Clouded Drab- 2

Early Grey

A clear night with a bright moon and a moderate wind wasn't the best recipe for Mothing success. A few did venture out into the cold.....

1. Common Quaker- 5
2. Hebrew Character- 3
3. Early Grey- 2
4. Small Quaker- 1
5. Emmelina monodactyla- 1

Under leaden Skies......24/03

Early GreyLead-coloured Drab
Small Quaker

March Moth

Grey was the order of the day,(or the night) with a bumper crop of 25 of 9 species on a very mild evening. Temperatures hovered around 11-12°C helped no doubt by the heavily overcast, rainy weather.

Highlights were my 1st Early Greys and another different Lead-coloured Drab. The list is as follows-

1. Common Quaker- 6
2. Clouded Drab- 5
3. Early Grey- 4- New for the garden
4. Agonopterix heracliana- 3
5. Hebrew Character- 2
6. March Moth- 2
7. Small Quaker- 1
8. Emmelina monodactyla- 1
9. Lead-coloured Drab- 1- 2nd Record!

I had 2 traps out last night and once again the 30w twin out performed the portable 12v trap.