Better.....17/05

Feeling that Trent was starting to get the better of me again. I quickly dusted off the 2x 25w FUL Skinner and put it in a favourable position down the bottom of the garden. It faces west and is approximately 100ft away from my usual east facing trap near the house. Five new for the year is a great improvement.

229 Monopis obviella

This was a 1st for the year, 16th May.

 Mottled Rustic

Almost overlooked as a Pale Mottled Willow!

 Buff Ermine

 Common Marbled Carpet

 Clouded Silver

4th record this year.

 Maiden's Blush

2nd record this year.

 Middle-barred Minor

 1301 Crambus lathoniellus

Many more to come I would say......

The results- 91 of 30 species-

• 1301 Crambus lathoniellus 1 1st of the year
• 2089 Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart 18
• 2337x Oligia strigilis agg. Marbled Minor agg. 4
• 0808 Platyedra subcinerea 1
• 0017 Hepialus lupulinus Common Swift 2
• 1428 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1
• 1937 Peribatodes rhomboidaria Willow Beauty 1 1st of the year
• 1931 Biston betularia Peppered Moth 1 1st of the year
• 1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 1
• 2126 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character 2
• 1819 Eupithecia exiguata Mottled Pug 1
• 2333 Apamea anceps Large Nutmeg 20
• 1680 Cyclophora punctaria Maiden's Blush 1
• 2380 Charanyca trigrammica Treble Lines 4
• 2087 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth 3
• 2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 12
• 0648 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House-moth 1
• 0647 Hofmannophila pseudospretella Brown House-moth 1
• 2147 Hada plebeja Shears 1
• 1764 Chloroclysta truncata Common Marbled Carpet 1
• 1958 Lomographa temerata Clouded Silver 1
• 2384 Hoplodrina ambigua Vine's Rustic 4
• 2061 Spilosoma luteum Buff Ermine 1
• 2199 Mythimna pallens Common Wainscot 1
• 1994 Phalera bucephala Buff-tip 1
• 2340 Oligia fasciuncula Middle-barred Minor 1 1st of the year
• 1728 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Garden Carpet 2
• 2154 Mamestra brassicae Cabbage Moth 1
• 2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1
• 2387 Caradrina morpheus Mottled Rustic 1 1st of the year

Night of the poisoned Dart 06/05

The best night so far as the 'Spanish Plume' continues. It may be a bit windy, but the hot, humid air is ideal for moths. Temperatures hovered around 15°C all night as the moths kept rolling in. Unfortunately due to early morning birding commitments, I can't patrol all night- like unemployed people can. So it's down to getting up earlier than the Robins and counting whats in the traps. There was also a Brucey Bonus this morning as a Whimbrel flew North over the garden- only my second record in 10 years.......

Shuttle-shaped Dart (deceased)

I know we're all getting sick of 'em- but I don't think it deserves this! Better than getting eaten by a Robin I suppose......

Flame

 Treble Lines

 Grey/Dark Dagger

 Maiden's Blush

 Common Swift

 Lychnis

Hooray! This is new for the garden. I have struggled with these type species. I have still only had one Campion to date too.

Cockchafer

Quite rare these days- so good to see, even if he's missing one antenna.

The results- 72 of 30 species-

• 2092 Agrotis puta Shuttle-shaped Dart 33
• 2333 Apamea anceps Large Nutmeg 7
• 2089 Agrotis exclamationis Heart and Dart 3
• 2087 Agrotis segetum Turnip Moth 3
• 2028 Calliteara pudibunda Pale Tussock 1 NFY
• 2284 Acronicta psi Grey Dagger 1 NFY
• 2063 Diaphora mendica Muslin Moth 1
• 2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 1
• 2173 Hadena bicruris Lychnis 1 Garden 1st
• 1834 Eupithecia vulgata Common Pug 1
• 2384 Hoplodrina ambigua Vine's Rustic 1
• 2003 Notodonta ziczac Pebble Prominent 1
• 1835 Eupithecia tripunctaria White-spotted Pug 1 NFY
• 2389 Paradrina clavipalpis Pale Mottled Willow 1
• 2098 Axylia putris Flame 1 NFY
• 0904 Spuleria flavicaput 1
• 2188 Orthosia incerta Clouded Drab 1
• 1680 Cyclophora punctaria Maiden's Blush 1 NFY
• 1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
• 0998 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth 1
• 0648 Endrosis sarcitrella White-shouldered House-moth 1
• 0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 1
• 2061 Spilosoma luteum Buff Ermine 1 NFY
• 2380 Charanyca trigrammica Treble Lines 1 NFY
• 0017 Hepialus lupulinus Common Swift 1
• 2190 Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character 1
• 0649 Esperia sulphurella 1
• 1428 Aphomia sociella Bee Moth 1
• 1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 1
• 1707 Idaea seriata Small Dusty Wave 1
• 2069 Tyria jacobaeae Cinnabar 1 NFY

Home Wood Survey continued.....26/04

Some more of the moths caught..........

Common Wave

1 caught loc.#2- NFS (new for site)

 Cream Wave

2 Caught at Loc.#2- NFS and a lifer! ID A. Banthorpe, VC30 Moths.

 Maiden's Blush

2 caught Loc.#3&4- NFS

 Dwarf Pug

8 caught- Loc.#2&3 NFS

 Mottled Pug

1 caught- Loc.#3 NFS

 Orange Footman

3 caught- Loc.2&3 NFS

Better than expected........06/08

I put 2 traps out last night, mainly to test a new one to make sure the electrics were working properly. As it rained a lot of the night, I had both twin 15w Actinics side by side under a shed canopy. I took a few photos and did a full count of both traps and surrounding walls.........

Orange Swift

Probably the 1st of many......

Blood-vein

Extremely well marked example.

Maidens Blush

Only my 2nd ever record.

Silver Y

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Svensson's Copper Underwing

Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana (1205)

New for the garden.

Bucculatrix thoracella (273)

Another garden newby.

Cochylis atricapitana (966)

2nd record.

Lathronympha strigana (1219)

Another Garden 1st.

The full count is as follows-

1. Shuttle-shaped Dart- 41- High Count
2. Straw Underwing- 16- High Count
3. Agriphila tristella- 14
4. Turnip Moth- 13- High Count
5. Common Rustic agg.- 5
6. Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing- 5
7. Nutmeg- 5
8. Chrysoteuchia culmella- 4
9. Pyrausta aurata- 3
10. Common Wainscot- 3
11. Setaceous Hebrew Character- 3
12. Uncertain- 3
13. Flame Shoulder- 2
14. Trachycera advenella- 2
15. Riband Wave- 2
16. Buff Ermine- 2
17. Cabbage Moth- 2
18. Sallow Kitten
19. Knot-grass
20. Sitochroa verticalis
21. Mother of Pearl
22. Lime-speck Pug
23. Large Yellow Underwing
24. Emmelina monodactyla
25. Silver Y
26. Agriphila straminella
27. Vine's Rustic
28. Garden Pebble
29. Blastobasis adustella
30. Willow Beauty
31. Dun-bar
32. Argyrotaenia ljungiana
33. Euzophera pinguis
34. Dark Arches
35. Maiden's Blush
36. Mouse Moth
37. Yponomeuta cagnagella
38. Crambus pascuella
39. Flounced Rustic
40. Clouded Border
41. Marbled Beauty
42. Svensson's Copper Underwing
43. Eudonia mercurella
44. Orange Swift- Year tick
45. Ypsolopha scabrella
46. Ruby Tiger
47. Bucculatrix thoracella- 1st Ever
48. Garden Rose Tortrix
49. Cochylis atricapitana
50. Ringed China-mark
51. Straw Dot
52. Horse Chestnut Leaf-miner
53. Lathronympha strigana- 1st ever
54. Bud Moth Spilonota ocellana- 1st ever

A few recent highlights.......

Work commitments and a weekend break have kept blogging to a minimum, though the recording of moths has continued up to 27/05. I have included a few of the recent highlights and have now also brought all lists up-to-date. So far this year I have recorded 116 species in the garden, 91 of which are macros.....

ShearsRecorded for the 1st time on 27/05.

Vine's RusticA year tick on 25/05.

Blood-veinA year tick on 25/05.

Light BrocadeA real stunner, trapped for the 1st time ever on 24/05.

Iron ProminentA year tick on 24/05.

CinnabarA year tick on 24/05- 1st in the trap.

Lime HawkmothA 1st ever on 23/05.

Maidens BlushA 1st ever on 23/05.

National Moth Night @ Chicksands Wood...15/05

The VC30 Moth-ers

A field meeting in the heart of Chicksands Wood was very productive even though the temperature dropped below 5°C. It was well organised, being run in conjunction with the Beds Bat Group. Not many bats around, but finally at 0100hrs a single Natterer's Bat was recovered from a mist net.

35 species of moth were recorded (report on VC30 to follow) from 5 traps, these are a few of the highlights I managed to photograph-

Broken-barred Carpet

A broken example! 2 were trapped on the night.

Clouded Border

Just 1 of these found by an MV skinner trap.
Iron Prominent

Just 1 recovered by the tripod MV with sheet. (see top photo)
Maidens Blush

Only 1 found, again on the tripod sheet.

Scalloped Hazel

2 found by the tripod MV.
Scalloped Hook-tip
Found on my 15w 12v Actinic trap!
Scorched Carpet
The 1st moth caught- in a net by Andy Banthorpe.
Small White Wave
A real highlight, caught in a net by Stephen Plummer, it's the 1st VC30 record since 1986!
Seraphim
Quite common- with 20+ found around 4 traps.