August 2012

Depressaria badiella is new to the garden list whilst Aroga velocella and Aproaerema anthyllidella are both the second records for these species. What proved to be a standard Common Rustic was very similar in appearance to my only garden record of Lesser - just shows how careful you have to be. I recorded the unusual form of female Cnephasia longana several times this summer after only having seen it once before. Finally, Coleophora versurella has been recorded several times here in the past but I've not managed a good photo before.

Depressaria badiella:

 Aroga velocella:

 Aproaerema anthyllidella:

 Common Rustic:

 Cnephasia longana (female):

 Coleophora versurella:

July 2012

Cochylidia heydeniana was the highlight this month being just the second county record. Eucosma hohenwartiana and Triple-spotted Pug were also new to the garden whilst both Depressaria sordidatella and Chionodes fumatella were the second garden records. The dark form of Cydia pomonella was unusual.

Cochylidia heydeniana:

 Eucosma hohenwartiana:

 Triple-spotted Pug:

 Depressaria sordidatella:

 Chionodes fumatella:

 Cydia pomonella:

June 2012

A dark form of Celypha lacunana, trapped on 16th June, was unusual, but on 28th Elachista alpinella appeared - a garden first and only the second occurrence for the county.

May 2012

Every year Barry Dickerson, the Huntingdonshire county recorder, identifies by dissection a number of moths that I have been otherwise unable to identify. This year's results add 7 species to the garden list (bringing it to 456 for the year and 757 in total). Where I have photos they are copied below together with several species not recorded here recently.

Only the 4th garden record of Elachista humilis and the first decent photo.

4th August 2012

A surprisingly chilly night halved the moth count over the previous night. All the more surprising then to find a beautifully fresh Tissue - a garden first that takes the garden moth list to 750 species.

3rd August 2012

A rather battered Small Fan-footed Wave is the first here since 2009 and a rather smarter Maple Pug was new for the year.

 

2nd August 2012

A cooler night led to a much reduced catch with just one moth new for the year - the second garden record of Coleophora hemerobiella.

1st August 2012

A bit warmer again overnight - and the midges are back! A good collection of moths with another 'autumn' species appearing, Rosy Rustic. Several micros included a garden first in the form of the huge Coleophora trifolii and a very pretty form of Ostrinia nubilalis, the first recorded here since 2007 and perhaps attracted by the maize plants in the vegetable patch as much as the MV light!

31st July 2012

After a couple of cool nights something a bit warmer and the first trapping in weeks where I haven't been overwhelmed by midges. A few new for the year including the first of the 'autumn' species - Flounced Rustic and Copper Underwing. The highlight though was the second garden record of Brachmia inornatella.

27th July 2012

The Crescent is an infrequent visitor in the garden and in the past has always been very well marked. This rather plain example took me a long time to work out.

22nd July 2012

At last a run of warm weather makes it feel worthwhile to put the traps out although the huge numbers of midges still being attracted to the light is a bit off-putting. Catches are still nowhere near what I would normally expect at this time of year - 230 moths of 72 species. New for the garden was the distinctive Eana incanana, almost released as an oddly worn Cnephasia.

18th July 2012

Another new moth for the garden in the trap last night and it couldn't be more different to the huge Goat Moth of the previous night - a diminutive Acrolepiopsis assectella or Leek Moth. A rarity in Huntingdonshire, this is just the 4th record, perhaps attracted to the rows of leeks that I'm growing for the first time in the garden!

16th July 2012

A fairly warm, muggy, wet night produced a reasonable crop of moths but also thousands of midges - they formed a layer about half an inch deep at the bottom of the traps. More or less as an afterthought I put the Cos lure inside the MV Robinson trap and pretty well the first moth I found was a large Goat Moth sitting just under the bulb. A first for the garden and a stunning moth. There were a few year firsts amongst the rest of the catch including the second garden record of Large Twin-spot Carpet.

9th July 2012

Another good night with over 350 moths of 82 species. Several new for the year including a beautiful Garden Tiger.

8th July 2012

A good night for micros with several species new for the year including Monochroa lucidella, just the third garden record.

4th July 2012

A warm and humid night resulted in an excellent catch of over 90 species, many new for the year. Cydia fagiglandana is new for the garden and a rarity in Huntingdonshire.

3rd July 2012

With heavier rain and a stronger wind the catch wasn't quite as exciting as the previous night. There were a few new for the year and the third garden record of Nephopterix angustella, last seen here in 2007.

2nd July 2012

With wet but warm weather forecast overnight I very nearly didn't bother trapping - I'm very glad I did. A very smart Rosy Marbled was my reward - not just a first for the garden list but also, I think, for the vice county. There were several new for the year including a very fresh Cydia nigricana, the first here since 2006. There's another warm, wet night forecast for tonight...

28th June 2012

During the day it became very hot and humid but by the evening a strong wind had developed. Lots of new species for the year made it to the traps but there were two highlights: the first ever Spinach for the garden and just the second record of Bird's Wing - caught in July 2004, my first full year of trapping.

25th June 2012

After several weeks of cool, wet, windy weather at last - a summer's day! Hopefully trapping should improve overnight but several species were found in the garden this afternoon by netting - one a garden first, Gypsonoma sociana.

9th June 2012

After a series of wet and windy nights finally a dry, still one. Unfortunately it was also rather cool getting down to 9 degrees so the trap contents were well down on the last couple of sessions. A very smart Foxglove Pug was the pick of the bunch.

31st May 2012

The best night of the year so far with 101 moths of 39 species including 2 new for the garden - the locally rare Ochreous Pug with only 7 previous records in VC31 and the rather smart Teleiodes luculella.

27th May 2012

A fairly quiet night was a disappontment but there were still a handful of year firsts. Platyedra subcinerea was the second garden record (first recorded in 2008) and I believe also the second county record.

26th May 2012

With another warm night forecast I put out both MV and actinic traps for the first time this year. 40 moths of 26 species in the MV; just 13 of 8 in the actinic! A handful of species new for the year but thestar was this beautiful Lime Hawkmoth, a species absent from the garden last year.

After photos of captive adults, wild adults, mating adults and resulting eggs here's a photo of a 1st instar larva - I currently have several dozen eating me out of house and hawthorn. Hopefully further pictures to follow.