Orange Swift

This is a male and seems to be an early evening flyer. They turn up in the trap infrequently but are fairly common.

National Moth Night- 18/09/2009

A really good night, barely any wind and fairly warm. 43 moths of 13 species-

• Lunar Underwing 13
• Large Yellow Underwing 7
• Willow Beauty 5 (see photo above)
• Shuttle Shaped Dart 4
• Setaceous Hebrew Character 3
• Lesser Yellow Underwing 2
• Common Wainscot 2
• Black Rustic 2
• Flounced Rustic 1
• Rustic 1
• Mallow 1
• Light Emerald 1
• Least Carpet 1

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!

Trap results for 16/09/2009

A slightly better evening with 26 moths of 13 species. Including 2 new ones, Least Carpet (top) and Mallow (centre right). Also pictures are Silver Y and Sallow (bottom right).

LYU 7
SS Dart 3
SS Rustic 3
Willow Beauty 2
SH Character 2
Rustic Sp. 2
Common Wainscot 1
Silver Y 1
Sallow 1
Mallow 1
Lunar U 1
Lesser YU 1

Results for 15/09/2009

With a very windy night, the count was fairly low. But we still managed 2 new ones for the trap.

Black Rustic (right) and a Blair's Shoulder-knot.

Also-

• Large Yellow Underwing 6
• Lesser Yellow Underwing 1
• Lunar Underwing 4
• Shuttle shaped Dart 2
• Silver Y 1
• Flounced Rustic 1
• Square spot Rustic 1
• Setaceous Hebrew Character 1
• Willow Beauty 1
• Pale Mottled Willow
  
• + a few unidentified Micro Moths- It's a steep learning curve!!

End of the line

This is a very tatty looking Blood-vein. Most of the crimson to the rear edges of the wings has been worn away.

Little Brown Jobs

Left: Dark Arches- This was photographed uder the porch.

Right: Heart & Dart- Another one for the trap and the only record so far.

Nut-tree Tussock

Great name and totally inappropriate-

There's no nut trees within miles of my trap!

The Trap!

And this is it! A very modest invention made out of an old drawer. Under the hinged lid is an area full of egg boxes. The lid is simply lifted and the two perspex sheets can be retracted. I use a 350mm, 15 watt 'black light' which is just an actinic 350BL fluorescent tube run from an extension lead. I am currently working on other designs including different MV options and a 'travel' version.

2 phases of the Moon

The Lunar Underwing is a September specialty with 4 in the trap in one go on the 6th!These shots show 2 of the 3 different phases very clearly.

One Sallow doesn't make a Summer................

..............But 2 do!

Top: Orange Sallow

Bottom: Centre-barred Sallow

Poplar Hawk Moth

The largest moth to date. One of 2 found perched near the trap..........probably too big to fit in it!

All the small things........

Top: Garden Carpet, a very common visitor

Middle: Gold Fringe, actually a micro moth

Bottom: Yellow-barred Brindle, I know.....it's green!

So called because when they 1st hatch, they are actually yellow.

The Vapourer

You wouldn't find anything weirder in a Sci-fi film. I have yet to see a Vapourer moth, but have had the caterpillars on several occasions.