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.

24th May 2012

Still warm but a strong wind overnight kept moth numbers right down. A few first appearance of the year but the biggest surprise was the second garden record of Grey Pine Carpet, last trapped here in 2008.
Update: on checking photos of the 2008 record I'm fairly certain I mis-identified a poorly marked Spruce Carpet - this record is therefore promoted to a garden first!