Breakfast- 03-04-2015

After a two week break, the traps were back on. There seemed precious little point of trapping in the last week in March as it seemed unlikely any insects would be flying in winds gusting up to 60MPH.
Anyway, four NFY's was a positive outcome, although numbers of individual species are still pretty low. No shot of the Nut-tree Tussock as it was gone by morning.

Brindled Pug

Double-striped Pug

Red Chestnut

Upper Caldecote Garden- 2 Traps- 30 of 9 species

1524  Emmelina monodactyla  1
1852  Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata)  1 NFY
1862  Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata)  1 NFY
2139  Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa)  2 NFY
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  9
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  5
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  7
2243  Early Grey (Xylocampa areola)  3
2425  Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli)  1 NFY

Garden Update. 23-24/03

Ok, so it's not a Dotted Chestnut; and I'm not expecting anything as good any time soon. Nevertheless, another new macro to crush Trent's spirits still further and I fancy he may already have one eye on the 'offy'.

So not as many highlights, but a nice selection all the same. 

An imminent trip to Home Wood is on the cards, hopefully on Wednesday night- this should boost the list......and the work load! 

Red Chestnut

NFY, 23rd March

Clouded Drabs

Showing the variation in this common species. They can range from light brown to a very dark purple.

Lead-coloured Drab

Yes, I know I've posted this a couple of times before, but this is a male don't you know! Check out those feathered antennae........

Upper Caldecote Garden 23-03-2012- 49 of 12 species-

1288	Alucita hexadactyla	Twenty-plume Moth	1	NFY
1524	Emmelina monodactyla		3
1834	Eupithecia vulgata	Common Pug	1
1917	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	1
2139	Cerastis rubricosa	Red Chestnut	1	NFY
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	15
2185	Orthosia populeti	Lead-coloured Drab	1
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	10
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	10
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	2
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	3
2258	Conistra vaccinii	Chestnut	1

Upper Caldecote Garden 24-03-2012- 37 of 7 species-

1524	Emmelina monodactyla		3
1934	Agriopis marginaria	Dotted Border	1
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	10
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	4
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	11
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	5
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	3

........21/03

The best night of the year so far as far as numbers are concerned. Perfect conditions all night with a low of a heady 7°C made for an excellent catch.

Red Chestnut

A very well marked specimen- 4th record for 2011.

Results- 45 of 11 species-

• Common Quaker- 24
• Clouded Drab- 5
• Hebrew Character- 4
• Small Quaker- 4
• A. heracliana- 2
• March Moth- 1
• E. monodactyla- 1
• Red Chestnut- 1
• Dark Chestnut- 1
• Early Grey- 1
• Engrailed- 1

The Score......20/03

In contrast to last night, a cracker ensued with another new macro- making it 20 for the year so far. Right on cue and just 2 days before last years 1st record.

Lead-coloured Drab

Luckily this is a very well marked individual. It is a female, as only males have the heavily 'feathered' antennae. This can sometimes make ID a bit tricky and last year I only counted the males so missed at least 1 female type that I recorded as Clouded Drab. Therefore, last year's total was 4 records, no doubt heavily bolstered by the fact there is a Poplar plantation 1 mile to the North of my location.

 Red Chestnut

A slightly daggy individual- but it's good to get a photo.

Results 24 of 9 Species-

• Common Quaker- 7
• Clouded Drab- 6
• Hebrew Character- 3
• Red Chestnut- 2
• A. heracliana- 2
• E. monodactyla- 1
• Early Grey- 1
• Lead-coloured Drab- 1 -Year tick
• March Moth- 1

10th & 11th

The warm but breezy conditions continue. It was 9°C as night was falling on both nights so the count on a still evening could have been huge. I have decided now to use the 25w BLB bulb along with the skinner every time I trap as I am already 11 species up on this time last year.

Oak Beauty

2nd Record on 10th March for this fantastic moth.



Emmelina monodactyla (1524)

A year tick- 10th March.

Common Quaker

Still top of the shop with another 19 over the 2 days- 65 in total.

Red Chestnut

Annoyingly after a reccy on 11th March, I found a Red Chestnut under the BLB bulb on the shed. I went back to get a pot and it had gone! Here is the only one I have ever caught, 16th April 2010.

10/03-

• Common Quaker- 7
• Oak Beauty- 1
• Hebrew Character- 1
• Emmelina monodactyla- 1- Year Tick

11/03-

• Common Quaker- 12
• Hebrew Character- 5
• Clouded Drab- 2
• Agonopterix heracliana- 4
• Red Chestnut- 1- Year Tick

I have now caught 147 moths of 22 species. (18 macro, 4 micro)

Gasp! Another Tawny Pinion.......

Tawny Pinion

After Andy and Melissa of VC30 Moths took away the previous TP specimen for further analysis, I thought that would be the last I saw of this species for a long time. The previous record on 13th April was the 1st Beds record since 2006 and was only the 24th ever found in the county. The full article with dates of records is HERE

So imagine my surprise when after a very cold night with a ground frost, another 1 turned up. It was just sat on the outside of the trap and was very cooperative for it's 'photo shoot'

I have yet again retained the moth, just in case it needs to be examined. But clearly this is a different moth as the other 1 was taken to Lower Stondon, over 5 miles away!

Otherwise, the count was low as you would expect. However, over shadowed by the Pinion was my 1st ever Red Chestnut, a moth I didn't expect to trap!

1. Common Quaker- 3
2. Hebrew Character
3. Tawny Pinion- 2nd Record
4. Double-striped Pug
5. Red Chestnut- Garden 1st
   

Red Chestnut