12th May ... First Silver Y of the year

A much cooler night than the previous with the temperature falling to 5 deg with clear skies and fresh.
Tonight is looking very similar.
A bright Venus is on show at the moment in the early part of the evening to the west.
A poor catch compared to the 11th
A year first Silver Y was found in one of the traps this morning ..

2441, Silver Y

12th May
0247 Tinea trinotella, 1
0648 Endrosis sarcitrella, 2
1279 Dichrorampha acuminatana, 1, year first

1279, Dichrorampha acuminatana

1342 Eudonia angustea, 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 1
1781 Small Waved Umber, 1
1819 Mottled Pug, 1
2089 Heart and Dart, 1, year first

2189 Heart and Dart

2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 7
2223 Toadflax Brocade, 1
2306 Angle Shades, 1
2441 Silver Y, 1

23rd Oct 2014 .. Chestnut and Dark Chestnut + Fly I.D. wanted

Nothing startling happening around the garden traps apart from another very late Heart & Dart.
Chestnut and Dark Chestnut can be a bit confusing.
Here is a comparison pic of both together.
These were in the trap this morning, both are fresh and well marked and easy to tell apart. Note the shape of wing tips, not so easy when worn as Chestnut (left) can be much darker and worn wing tips on Dark Chestnut can appear to be rounded but Dark usually looks more boat shaped and Chestnut appears more compact and broader.

Chestnut (left) and Dark Chestnut

Heart & Dart has probably been fooled by the late warm weather, this one is my 2nd in 3 days .. very late but fresh.

Heart and Dart ... 23rd Oct 2014

Green-brindled Crescent f. capucina

Green-brindled Crescent f. capucina

This fly was found dead in the traps this morning.
It is new for my garden, anyone know what it is ?

Cheers Stewart, thanks to your comment I've now checked the interweb and found the cause.
Entomophthora muscae, a fungal disease that affects fly species.
Quote from wikipedia
"When it is critically ill, it tends to crawl to a high point, straighten its hind legs and open its wings, a behaviour that ensures that the fungal spores are dispersed as widely as possible"
As can be seen on my example, straight legs and opened wings.

20th Oct 2014 ... Least expected

1699 Least Carpet 20/10/2014

This has been a topsy-turvy year for moth records.
My garden traps over the last 3 days have had the county recorders rewriting the record books.
Buff Ermine, Swallow-tailed Moth on the 18th Oct and last night I added a pristine Heart and Dart plus a Least Carpet !
Maybe there is still hope for Brindled Pug, a notable absentee from my garden year list back in April/May, I think not.
Trap results for 20th Oct ....
2 traps, placed under covers at 11p.m.
10.7 deg C minimum. Breezy/overcast turning to gales/rain from 2 a.m.
0464 Plutella xylostella, 1
0674 Depressaria badiella, 1, possibly... To be confirmed

0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 3
1415 Orthopygia glaucinalis, 1, (Now Hypsopygia glaucinalis)
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 1
1699 Least Carpet, 1
1764 Common Marbled Carpet, 1
2089 Heart and Dart, 1

2089 Heart and Dart, 20/10/2014

2092, Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4
2232 Black Rustic, 1
2240 Blair's Shoulder-knot, 1
2306 Angle Shades, 5
2375 Large Wainscot, 1

2375 Large Wainscot, 20/10/2014

2306 Angle Shades, 20/10/2014

27th Aug 2014 ... Oblique Striped

Conditions were much better for the garden moths last night and this was reflected in the catch.
The outstanding moth of the evening was Oblique Striped, not seen in VC30 since 1998.
Quite a small moth about the size of a Grass Rivulet
White-point seems to have been in every trap around the country and at last I can now add it to my garden species list.

1718, Oblique Striped, male

2194, White-point

 27th Aug
0464 . Plutella xylostella, 2
0647 . Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 3
0658 . Carcina quercana, 1
0789 . Bryotropha domestica, 1, year first

Bryotropha domestica

0998 . Epiphyas postvittana, 3
1048 . Acleris variegana, 2
1309 . Agriphila geniculea, 15
1428 . Aphomia sociella, 1
1524 . Emmelina monodactyla, 6
0015 . Orange Swift, 7
1651 . Chinese Character, 1
1707 . Small Dusty Wave, 2
1718 . Oblique Striped, 1, garden first
1728 . Garden Carpet, 3
1742 . Yellow Shell, 2
1862 . Double-striped Pug, 2
1906 . Brimstone Moth, 2
1937 . Willow Beauty, 2
1981 . Poplar Hawk-moth, 1

Poplar Hawk-moth

2087 . Turnip Moth, 1
2089 . Heart and Dart, 1, fresh 2nd generation

Heart and Dart

2107 . Large Yellow Underwing, 157 (not a lot of room for anything else)
2109 . Lesser Yellow Underwing, 1
2110 . Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 2
2111 . Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 4
2112 . Least Yellow Underwing, 1
2123 . Small Square-spot, 1
2126 . Setaceous Hebrew Character, 6
2134 . Square-spot Rustic, 6
2145 . Nutmeg, 2
2165 . Small Ranunculus, 1
2194 . White-point, 1, garden first
2199 . Common Wainscot, 4
2293 . Marbled Beauty, 1
2297x Copper Underwing agg. 2
2299 . Mouse Moth, 3
2300 . Old Lady, 1
2303 . Straw Underwing, 10
2306 . Angle Shades, 1
2353 . Flounced Rustic, 8
2361 . Rosy Rustic, 1
2384 . Vine's Rustic, 12
2389 . Pale Mottled Willow, 7

4th June 2013 ... Privet Hawk-moth cleared for landing

The first Privet Hawk-moth of the year crash landed into the trap last night, they really are massive !
Rather windy and cool, the wind chill is due to the temperature of the North Sea, which is well below the seasonal average. This is because of the very cold March.
The wind is coming from the North and it is being chilled by the sea temperature, so a southerly biased wind will give us warmer nights if we ever get one !
A good selection of moths were recorded last night, adding 7 to my year list but the micro moths are still thin on the ground.....

0985 ... Cacoecimorpha pronubana ... Carnation Tortrix ... 1 ... YF

985 ... Cacoecimorpha pronubana ... Carnation Tortrix

0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana ... Light Brown Apple Moth ... 1
1356 ... Evergestis forficalis ... Garden Pebble ... 1 ... YF

1356 ... Evergestis forficalis ... Garden Pebble

1727 ... Silver-ground Carpet ... Xanthorhoe montanata ... 1 ... YF

1727 ... Silver-ground Carpet ... Xanthorhoe montanata

1728 ... Garden Carpet ... Xanthorhoe fluctuata ... 4
1776 ... Green Carpet ... Colostygia pectinataria ... 1
1834 ... Common Pug ... Eupithecia vulgata
1976 ... Privet Hawk-moth ... Sphinx ligustri ... 1 ... YF

1976 ... Privet Hawk-moth ... Sphinx ligustri

1994 ... Buff-tip ... Phalera bucephala ... 1
2000 ... Iron Prominent ... Notodonta dromedarius ... 1
2007 ... Swallow Prominent ... Pheosia tremula ... 2
2060 ... White Ermine ... Spilosoma lubricapeda ... 1 ... YF

2060 ... White Ermine ... Spilosoma lubricapeda

2089 ... Heart and Dart ... Agrotis exclamationis ... 1 ... YF

2089 ... Heart and Dart ... Agrotis exclamationis

2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart ... Agrotis puta ... 5
2279 ... Sycamore ... Agrotis aceris ... 1
2283/4. Dark/Grey Dagger agg. ... Acronicta tridens/psi ... 1
2441 ... Silver Y ... Autographa gamma ... 1 ... YF

2441 ... Silver Y ... Autographa gamma

2450 ... Spectacle ... Abrostola tripartita ... 1

Bad news .....
I have declared war on these little varmints.
I am determined to see my Day Lilies intact, so removal and disposal* on a regular basis is the plan.
*  (disposal means my neighbour gets more than he should, if you know what I mean !)

Lily Beetle ... Lilioceris lilii

31st May 2012 ... Good end to month

Overnight low 13.3 deg. cloudy
The month ended on a high with 45 species in and around the garden traps, including 11 additions to the year list.

17 Common Swift Hepialus lupulinus 1
229 Monopis obviella 1
647 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella 3
648 White-shouldered House-moth Endrosis sarcitrella 3
779 Bryotropha affinis 1
808 Platyedra subcinerea 2
974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 1
998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 3
1063 Celypha striana 1, year first
1133 Epinotia bilunana 1 year first (Below)

1174 Epiblema cynosbatella 2
1428 Bee Moth Aphomia sociella 3
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 1
1728 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata 5
1768 Grey Pine Carpet Thera obeliscata 1 year first (Below)

1776 Green Carpet Colostygia pectinataria 4
1819 Mottled Pug Eupithecia exiguata 1
1825 Lime-speck Pug Eupithecia centaureata 1
1834 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata 7
1860 Green Pug Pasiphila rectangulata 2, year first (Below)

1906 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata 3
1920 Scalloped Hazel Odontopera bidentata 1
1937 Willow Beauty Peribatodes rhomboidaria 4
1958 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata 1, year first (Below)

1961 Light Emerald Campaea margaritata 1, year first (Below)

2000 Iron Prominent Notodonta dromedarius 1
2006 Lesser Swallow Prominent Pheosia gnoma 1, year first (Below)

2011 Pale Prominent Pterostoma palpina 1, year first (Below)

2028 Pale Tussock Calliteara pudibunda 1
2060 White Ermine Spilosoma lubricipeda 1, year first (Below)

2087 Turnip Moth Agrotis segetum 8
2089 Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis 4, (Below)

2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta 15
2102 Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plecta 1
2126 Setaceous Hebrew Character Xestia c-nigrum 1
2154 Cabbage Moth Mamestra brassicae 2
2173 The Lychnis Hadena bicruris 1
2223 Toadflax Brocade Calophasia lunula 1
2333 Large Nutmeg Apamea anceps 2
2380 Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica 4
2381 The Uncertain Hoplodrina alsines 7
2283/4 Dark/Grey Dagger Acronicta tridens/psi agg.1
 2387 Mottled Rustic Caradrina morpheus 1, year first (Below)

2389 Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis 8
2418 Cream-bordered Green Pea Earias clorana 1, year first (Below)

2441 Silver Y Autographa gamma 4

27th April 2011...Cold weather returns

First things first...Happy Birthday Mum, 86 not out and going strong.....Mothwise, a little slow since the weather changed with temps at a kick above 3 degrees last night. On the night of the 26th I went to Home Wood with Captain Trappings for our monthly trap session and although some interseting species were caught (mostly carpets), the wind was blowing down the rides and it was much colder than the previous few nights, undoubtedly affecting numbers. The report will appear on Matts blog thetrappingsofsuccess.
A few new species have been added to the garden list after sorting out a few ID's.....ELACHISTA RUFOCINEREA 608, from 21st April

ADELA REAUMURELLA 150, 23rd April, the white patch is flash glare

Year first appearance for TURNIP MOTH 2087, 26th April

SWALLOW PROMINENT 2007, my 4th this year

Get used to it ! HEART & DART 2089, 27th April

5th 2011 record for SCALLOPED HAZEL 1920
93 garden species to date, 59 macro, 34 micro

12th June........Ticking along nicely

Last nights better weather saw 100 moths of 40 species in and around the traps. While Shuttle-shaped Darts have tailed off, Heart & Dart are now my most numerous visitor by a long chalk, and the "Kamikaze" Large Yellow Underwings are starting to dive-bomb both me and my traps.
HEART and DART very familiar yet striking moth

IRON PROMINENT

GARDEN PEBBLE. a garden first for this micro

DARK ARCHES first for year

VARIED CORONET first for year

PURPLE BAR a garden first

LARGE TABBY 1st record for this large micro

SYCAMORE another garden first

One of two PRIVET HAWKMOTH in the funnel trap

Results :-

20 x Heart & Dart

6 x Willow Beauty

6 x Marbled Minor agg

5 x Large Yellow Underwing

4 x Common Pug

4 x Vine's Rustic

2 x Light Emerald

2 x Rustic Shoulder-knot

2 x Green Pug

2 x Treble Brown-spot

2 x Pale Mottled Willow

2 x Common Wainscot

2 x Privet Hawkmoth

2 x Garden Carpet

2 x Common Swift

2 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

2 x Dark Arches

Wormwood Pug

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Lime Hawkmoth

Buff Ermine

Varied Coronet

Purple Bar

Brimstone Moth

Common Marbled Carpet

Peppered Moth

Iron Prominent

Large Nutmeg

Silver Y

Flame Shoulder

Sycamore

.............................

5 x Bee Moth

4 x L.B.Apple moth

3 x Crambus lathoniellus

3 x Emmelina monodactyla

2 x Brown House-moth

1 x Small Magpie

1 x Large Tabby

1 x Garden Pebble