16th September 2018

A beautiful Oncocera semirubella in the MV trap this morning, brightening up the otherwise almost entirely brown bunch of moths. It's a first for the garden and only the third for VC31.

7th August 2018

Another good night for moths rarely seen in the garden with a second record of Acleris cristana and the first Six-striped Rustic since 2013.

5th August 2018

Apodia bifractella was a surprise addition to the garden list at a time when traps are becoming dominated with S.H.Characters, Turnips and various Rustics. It appears to be just the second VC31 record.

2nd August 2018

I've been making a habit this year of catching moths that are just the second or third garden records of the species. This continued last night with Agonopterix purpurea and The Olive - both recorded just once before, both in 2006!

24th July 2018

An influx of male Oak Processionary moths seems to be underway with several recorded in Cambs VC29. There were two here, one in each of the traps, perhaps the second and third county records after one in 2012. In addition a Dusky Thorn was new to the garden.

16th July 2018

An extremely busy night produced 3 new species for the garden (The Phoenix, Small Ranunculus and Eudemis porphyrana) - something that seldom happens any more. A very smart Tree-lichen Beauty was new for the year as was a less showy Plain Wave.

                               The Phoenix

                               Small Ranunculus

                               Eudemis porphyrana

                               Tree-lichen Beauty

                               Plain Wave

                               Yarrow Pug

14th July 2018

Waved Black has been slowly spreading in this direction so it wasn't a complete surprise to find this one perched on the outside of the actinic trap. The Crescent was only the 4th garden record, last seen in 2012.

10th July 2018

The trend for rarer garden moths continued on a slightly cooler night with Cochylis roseana (2nd garden record), Blackneck (3rd) and Pine Hawkmoth (5th).

8th July 2018

A very good night for moths seldom seen in the garden. Acrobasis repandana was last recorded in 2006 and Rhodophaea formosa in 2007. There were also 2nd garden records for Buff Footman and Lunar-spotted Pinion.

                                Acrobasis repandana

                                Rhodophaea formosa

                                Lunar-spotted Pinion

                                Buff Footman

30th June 2018

A beautiful male Hornet Moth finally attracted to HOR lure in the garden this morning - the seventh clearwing species on the garden list.

28th June 2018

Two scarce moths for the garden were the highlight of a very busy night. The second record of Aethes tesserana is a much smarter individual than the previous one in 2015. Unfortunately the fourth record of Peach Blossom was of another rather battered moth.

26th June 2018

Only the second garden record of Marbled White Spot was the pick of the night's catch whilst this Epinotia abbreviana is far more well marked than the ones I usually catch here.

25th June 2018

A stunning Pyrausta purpuralis was the pick of the night's moths even putting the first Garden Tiger of the year into the shade.

18th June 2016

A warm and humid night led to an excellent crop of micros with two species new to the garden. I almost disposed of Celypha cespitana as just another lacunana but luckily I retained it as it appears to be a rarity in VC31. Archips crataegana is far more common but stilla welcome addition to the garden list.

13th June 2018

A warm but windy night reduced the overall catch but did produce the second garden record of Rosy Marbled.

2nd June 2018

Another warm night produced slightly fewer species but two very unexpected macros. Clouded Buff is a garden first and appears to be only the 3rd record for VC31; Chamomile Shark is a second garden record but rather late for this species.

1st June 2018

A very warm, still night produced large numbers of moths of 85 species. New for the garden is the very pretty Roeslerstammia erxlebella.

28th May 2018

A new moth added to the garden list today with the appearance of a rather smart Cochylis nana.

21st May 2018

A tiny plume disturbed from Hemp-agrimony turned out to be the second garden record of Adaina microdactyla.