WINE RACE 2016 .. MATTc380 .. TRENT 353 .. BEN 347 ...... Garden species:- Macros 357, Micros 365, Total 722

Monday 24 February 2014

23rd Feb 2014... What's triangular and invisible ?

No Geometrids is the answer.
Dotted Borders are appearing on most blogs but this common moth is a rarity in my town garden having only recorded one in 4 years.
Early Moth, March Moth, Pale Brindled Beauty, Spring Usher, Mottled Umber are also hard to come by and any one of these are considered a bonus to the year list
On the other hand, Small Ranunculus and Toadflax Brocade are pretty much guaranteed annually so I guess these two alone make up for the lack of  late winter/early spring geometridae.
Double-striped Pugs are very common however, and the first one of the year turned up last night.

1862 ... Double-striped Pug

Thursday 20 February 2014

19th Feb 2014 ... Satellite

A warm overcast night and rather wet traps by the morning.
3 x Agonopterix heracliana were recorded, which were potted up and released elsewhere as were the three from the night before, and 3 more earlier this evening ! ( 20th).
A year first Satellite was found on the shed wall near the 15 watt BLB fluorescent fitting under the eaves and a Marbled Beauty ? larva was feeding on lichen on the garden wall.

2256 Satellite, Eupsilia transversa 

Marbled Beauty larva feeding on lichen

Tuesday 18 February 2014

17th Feb 2014 ... Garden traps

Much warmer with the cloud cover and no sign of the large moon which inhibits moth flight.
Just 4 moths of 3 species were recorded, a tad disappointing....
Agonopterix heracliana was new for the year bringing the garden species total to 7

1 x 0688 Agonopterix heracliana ... YF
1 x 1524 Emmelina monodactyla
2 x 2259 Dark Chestnut

688 Agonopterix heracliana
2259 Dark Chestnut

Saturday 8 February 2014

7th Feb 2014 ... Early Grey

A window of opportunity opened for a brief while last night before the next Atlantic low hit.
On went the 15w actinic on the sheltered shed wall and an Early Grey duly obliged ...

2243 ... Early Grey