June 7th 2013 ... Eyed like some more of these ....

1980 ... Eyed Hawk-moth ... Smerinthus ocellata

Last year I had given up with Eyed Hawk, resigned to "dipping out".
After all, it was early September so no chance.
But, on a chilly October 14th evening, following a warm, sunny day, one appeared on the wall beside the trap.
That was the latest record for Bedfordshire, the previous latest being August 5th.*
The above creature was in the trap this morning and gave me the usual "start" when the egg box was turned to reveal it ....These Hawks are amazing !
At least it was not totally unexpected.
The NE wind had the usual bite to it, and although the thermometer was reading 7 degrees (the same as the night before) it felt much colder and the numbers were considerably lower than the previous night.
Common Swift was also added to the garden year list, which is trailing 2012 by a margin, and 2012 was a bad year !
I think it will pick up very soon, ever optimistic .. if the glass is half empty all the the time, get a bigger bottle!
Last nights catch :-
Micro moths
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella ... White-shouldered House-moth ... 2
0808 ... Playedra subcinerea ... Mallow Groundling ... 1

808 ... Patyedra subcinerea

0874 ... Blastobasis lacticolella ... London Dowd ... 1
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana ... Light Brown Apple Moth ... 1
Macro moths
0017 ... Common Swift ... Hepialus lupulinus ... 1 ... YF

17 ... Common Swift ... Hepialus lupulinus

1728 ... Garden Carpet ... Xanthorhoe fluctuata ... 2
1776 ... Green Carpet ... Colostygia pectinataria
1834 ... Common Pug ... Eupithecia vulgata ... 2
1920 ... Scalloped Hazel ... Odontopera bidentata ... 1
1931 ... Peppered Moth ... Biston betularia ... 1

1931 ... Peppered Moth ... Biston betularia

1980 ... Eyed Hawk-moth ... Smerinthus ocellata ...1 ... YF
2060 ... White Ermine ... Spilosoma lubricipeda ... 1
2069 ... Cinnabar ... Tyria jacobaeae ... 1
2089 ... Heart and Dart ... Agrotis exclamationis ... 1
2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart ... Agrotis puta ... 4
2154 ... Cabbage Moth ... Mamestra brassicae ... 1
2279 ... Sycamore ... Acronicta aceris ... 1
2283/4. Dark/Grey Dagger agg. ... Acronicta tridens/psi ... 1
2334 ... Rustic Shoulder-knot ... Apamea sordens ... 1
2337/9. Marbled Minor agg. ... 1
2380 ... Treble Lines ... 1



*Courtesy of Andy and Melissa Banthorpe, Bedfordshire VC30 Macro moth recorders.

12th May 2012... garden update

Night temps are down to 2 or 3 degrees again which equals slim pickings.
Last night was a little better in the early evening as the wind dropped and the temperature held up for the first couple of hours of darkness.
11th May  min. temp. 3.4 deg. windy
1342 Eudonia angustea x 2
0017 Common Swift Hepialus lupulinus  1, year first
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta  3
2306 Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 1

Common Swift, Hepialus lupulinus

12th May min. temp. 3.7 deg. light breeze, clear.
0647 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella 
0808 Platyedra subcinerea  2
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 1
1342 Eudonia angustea 3
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 3
1781 Small Waved Umber Horisme vitalbata 1
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 1
2000 Iron Prominent Notodonta dromedarius 1, year first
2064 Ruby Tiger Phragmatobia fuliginosa 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta 9
2154 Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae 2
2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 1
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 1

1 micro, possibly Mompha subbistrigella or similar, for gen. det.

Mompha subbistrigella ???

Small Waved Umber. Horisme vitalbata

Iron Prominent, Notodonta dromedarius

29th May.....Minor Delay

MARBLED MINOR is my guess but will ask Andy to peer up its kilt and check out its claspers, hope it's a male ! So in the meantime...........
MARBLED MINOR agg. Thanks Andy,.......... MARBLED MINOR

One of two SMALL WAVED UMBER from last night

OK, I'll go for...errrm....COMMON PUG

GREEN CARPET, common but stunning

OK (again), I'll go for...errrrrrrrrrrm........I would like it to be an OAK-TREE PUG but.........

My 6th LIME HAWKMOTH and YES they are different moths.

First two of these for the year with many more to come.....

SETACEOUS HEBREW CHARACTER

one of 3 LARGE NUTMEG

COMMON SWIFT pale form

COMMON SWIFT dark form Results:-

18 x S.S.Dart

5 x Turnip Moth

4 x Heart & Dart

3 x Common Swift

3 x Large Nutmeg

2 x Setaceous Hebrew Character (first for year)

2 x Treble Lines

2 x Treble Bar

2 x Bright-line Brown-eye

1 x Lime Hawkmoth

1 x Brimstone Moth

1 x Common Marbled Carpet (same one as the previous night)

1 x Pale Mottled Willow

1 x Vine's Rustic

1 x Marbled Minor agg. for now ! After dissection it has been confirmed as MARBLED MINOR, thanks Andy

28th May...Brace of Trebles

First nights trapping for 4 days, a little chilly at 8degC but landed 3 new garden species.
............................................
TREBLE LINES (garden first)
TREBLE BAR, first for year. A common visitor in my garden
COMMON SWIFT, another welcome debutant
VINE'S RUSTIC (garden first)
COMMON MARBLED CARPET, first for year
OAK HOOK-TIP, 2nd for year
My 5th LIME HAWKMOTH....the presence of a huge nearby Lime tree may be the reason.
PALE MOTTLED WILLOW
A pristine HEART and DART
PUG ! (common, brindled, oak tree !!!) Anyone ?
24/25 species of macro was a good tally for my small garden and only 3 species of micro which was a surprise as I was expecting many more.
Results:-
15 x Shuttle-shaped Dart
8 x Heart & Dart
4 x Turnip Moth.
3 x Rustic Shoulder-knot
3 x Bright-line Brown-eye
3 x Common Pug
2 x Brimstone Moth
2 x Pale Mottled Willow
2 x Green Carpet
2 x Small Waved Umber
2 x Small Dusty Wave
One each of the following:-
Flame Shoulder
Lime Hawkmoth
Campion
Oak Hook-tip
Garden Carpet
Common Swift ...GF
Cabbage Moth
Vine's Rustic...GF
Common Marbled Carpet
Treble Lines...GF
Treble Bar
PUG U.F.O. brindled/oak-tree or even common ???? delete where applicable (:0))