20th December 2017

It's not often I get some good moths in December but after a string of very cold nights a sudden warm spell has enticed a few out. The Satellite was new for the year and I don't often see the form with a 'filled-in' kidney mark. Also new for the year and only the 3rd garden record was Mottled Umber - I've only ever trapped this all brown form but this one posed particularly nicely for the camera.

July 2017

Just one unusual species for July was identified by dissection - a 3rd garden record of Epiblema roborana but the first since 2005.

June 2017

A little earlier than usual Barry Dickerson has sent me the results of dissections of unidentified micros retained over the season.

                                14/6 Pammene aurita - new garden record

                                16/6 Coleophora follicularis - new garden record

                                17/6 Archips rosana - 2nd garden record

                                17/6 Carpatolechia fugitivella - 2nd garden record

                                19/6 Anarsia innoxiella - 2nd garden record

And finally one that got away. This longhorn moth flew into the conservatory on 22/6 and could only be narrowed down to two possible species - Nemophora cupriacella or Cauchas rufimitrella. Unfortunately it proved impossible to obtain a definite ID from dissection either. Here's a photo anyway:

8th October 2017

After a string of nights that were either too windy, too cool or too bright from the full moon at last an overcast, still night. I only put the actinic out but had a good collection of 20 species including this stunning first for the garden - Red Sword-grass.

28th August 2017

After several weeks of cool weather and, to be honest, rather dull trapping results at last a mild night produced some interesting moths. Morophaga choragella was only the second garden record as was Pale-shouldered Brocade; Pyrausta purpuralis hasn't appeared since 2006, all other potential candidates proving to be aurata when the hind-wing was checked.

7th July 2017

The excellent trapping weather continues and another new record for the garden appeared overnight - Evergestis pallidata.

6th July 2017

A continuing run of very warm nights has meant large numbers of moths in the traps, many new for the year and many turning up weeks earlier than normal. A very smart Assara terrebrella is a new garden record and a rather worn but distinctive micro proved to be Gelechia sororculella, another new tick. Small Wainscot was only the second garden record and the rather pretty Scorched Carpet just the third.

1st July 2017

A lovely Small Marbled was the highlight of a very busy night for the MV trap - this is the first garden record and only the third for the county.

19th June 2017

The series of very warm nights continues producing large catches with some unusual moths. Top of tonight's list was the second garden record of Kent Black Arches - this time a smart looking moth compared to the worn individual that showed up in 2005. There was also a 2nd garden record of Marasmarcha lunaedactyla and another Anarsia species - presumably a second innoxiella after one last year but I'll seek confirmation.

                                Kent Black Arches

                                Marasmarcha lunaedactyla

                                Anarsia sp

18th June 2017

The highlight of several nights of large catches was the 3rd garden record of Celypha rosaceana but the first to show any pink colouration - a beautiful little moth.

1st June 2017

The first really busy night of the year produced the first new moth of the year, the long-expected Clouded-bordered Brindle. This is another of those species that appear to be quite common in Huntingdonshire just not in my bit of it.

26th May 2017

The first blog entry of the year as it's been a particularly slow start to the year with lots of cool nights and a fair amount of reluctance on my part to get up early and look into an empty trap! Still, the warm nights have now arrived and last night was pretty good for late May with 40 species. Elachista atricomella and Platytes cerussella were both second garden records and it's always nice to see Maiden's Blush which is quite uncommon here.

                                Elachista atricomella

                                Platytes cerussella

                                Maiden's Blush