13th March 2011...How cold ?

The temperature last night was the key factor. At sunset it hovered at a point of two over 6deg, but the skies had cleared and all was calm.
I put the two traps on and lit up the shed wall and hoped the temperature would hold up for an hour or two before plummeting to the forecasted zero.
Early success with A. heracliana at dusk, two Common Quakers shortly after, followed by a March Moth.
It was now 7.30 pm and 5 deg, but E. monodactyla was found near the trap.
I had decided that 3 deg would be my cut-off point so at 8.30pm, with temps showing 2.8 deg and falling fast, I checked and emptied the traps before switching off.
Dark Chestnut and another Common Quaker were in the egg boxes.
Off went one of the Skinners and the shed wall lights but I decided to leave one trap on just to see if it was possible for anything to fly at around 2deg.
This morning was frosty, and still very cold at minus 1deg. Checking the trap I found a Common Quaker, Clouded Drab and yet another E. mono.
So, somewhere between plus 2 and minus 1 degrees it is still possible to catch the odd moth.
.............................................................................
DARK CHESTNUT 2259

MARCH MOTH 1663 Garden Tally:-

3 x 1524 Emmelina monodactyla

1 x 0688 Agonopterix heracliana

1 x 2259 Dark Chestnut

3 x 2187 Common Quaker

1 x 2188 Clouded Drab

1 x 1663 March Moth

Totals for garden:-

132 moths of 20 species, 14 macro, 6 micro...........(79 macro, 53 micro)

The Side-Bet so far..........Matt 24, Trent 20