7th July 2010

Both traps out for another muggy night produced just short of 400 moths of 91 species with several micros still to be identified. Again there was a phenomenal number of crambids (nearly all Chrysoteuchia culmella and Crambus perlella) which may well have taken the total moth count to over 1000 - if I'd counted them!
Stars of the night were a lovely Pammene fasciana, a new garden tick, and only the second record of the equally lovely July Highflyer. Burnished Brass f.aurea was the first of this form trapped this year and I had to include a picture of the most brightly marked Double-striped Pug that I've seen.

Pammene fasciana:
July Highflyer:
Burnished Brass f.aurea:
Double-striped Pug:

2nd April 2009

With an early start for work in the morning and a potentially chilly night forecast I was in two minds as to whether I should put the trap out, but the prospect of a cold wet weekend to come convinced me to try the actinic. My reward in the morning was a garden first in the shape of this gorgeous Pine Beauty - not particularly scarce elsewhere, I know, but a species I thought unlikely to turn up here.


This handsome male Pale Tussock was new for the year and also very early - not normally recorded before May.


More expected than the above moths was the first Diurnea fagella of the year. But even this was of interest as it was last caught here in 2007.


Also expected at this time of year is Double-striped Pug - but hopefully I'll catch a less worn-looking individual in the weeks to come.


Trap List (15w Actinic):

Diurnea fagella - 1
Emmelina monodactyla - 1
Double-striped Pug - 1
Dotted Border - 1
Pale Tussock - 1
Red Chestnut - 1
Pine Beauty - 1
Hebrew Character - 7
Common Quaker - 5
Clouded Drab - 2
Early Grey - 2