Recent Highlights...........

.....................these are some of last week's riches. This week the weather has turned cold, so the traps will remain off line for a couple of days at least.

1054 Acleris cristana

NFY on 7th April

649 Esperia sulphurella

672 Parsnip Moth Depressaria heraclei

Waved Umber

NFY- 9th April

130 Incurvaria masculella

Chinese Character

 NFY- 10th April

 Red Twin-spot Carpet

 NFY- 12th April

Proms............ 18-05

An improved catch last night and for the first time in a week, no sign of a biting wind at night. Prominents were the order of the night with three different species caught. Also of note was a Lychnis, a moth that I very seldom catch.

Iron Prominent

Pale Prominent

Common Pug

Lychnis

Waved Umber

974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana

697 Agonopterix arenella

Upper Caldecote Garden- 3 traps- 37 of 18 species-

0697  Agonopterix arenella  1
0808  Platyedra subcinerea  1
0974  Argyrotaenia ljungiana  4
1524  Emmelina monodactyla  3
1724  Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia)  3
1728  Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)  3
1834  Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)  3
1906  Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)  3
1936  Waved Umber (Menophra abruptaria)  2
2000  Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius)  1 NFY
2003  Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac)  1
2011  Pale Prominent (Pterostoma palpina)  1 NFY
2092  Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)  5
2173  Lychnis (Hadena bicruris)  1 NFY
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  1
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  2
2284x  Grey Dagger / Dark Dagger (Acronicta tridens/psi)  1
2450  Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita)  1

Eye of the storm- 7/8th May

A brief warm interlude in an otherwise cold, wet and windy week allowed me to trap for a rare two nights in a row. Unfortunately this didn't last, so the the lights will be on standby for the near future. This is a selection of the new species over the two nights, others not pictured were Common Carpet and Pale Mottled Willow.

Nut-tree Tussock

NFY- 7th May

 Streamer

Left it late- NFY 7th May

672 Parsnip Moth Depressaria heraclei 

NFY- 7th May

 697 Agonopterix arenella

NFY- 7th May

808 Platyedra subcinerea

This nationally scarce species is a regular sight in the garden- NFY 8th May.

 Pale Tussock

NFY- 8th May

 Waved Umber

NFY- 8th May

 Nut-tree Tussock

This is the first time I have seen the dark form of the species.

May, but in early April.....

The incredible Summer-like weather continues; it feels like Britain has been moved 1000 miles south! This is having an extreme affect on flight times, compared to last year at least. Most of my recent additions are more likely to be encountered in May. Right I'm off to Broom to find a Red-footed Falcon and a Bee-eater!

Waved Umber

 Nut-tree Tussock

 Pale Mottled Willow

 Brindled Pug ab. hirschkei

 Brindled Beauty

 Bee Fly

 Burying Beetle Sp.??

Not sure which species- but I've never seen it before. any ideas?

The result- 23 of 13 species-

• Hebrew Character- 5
• Common Quaker- 4
• White-shouldered House-moth- 3
• Clouded Drab- 2
• Red Chestnut- 1
• Early Thorn- 1
• Waved Umber- 1- Year tick
• Nut-tree Tussock- 1- Year tick
• Pale Mottled Willow- 1- Year tick
• Argyrotaenia ljungiana- 1
• Agonopterix arenella- 1
• Brindled Pug- 1