March ... In like a lamb, out like a lion. ... Mar 28 - Apr 5

Gale force winds at the tail end of March certainly defied the old proverb, even so I decided to run the garden traps in the vain hope of getting a stray March Moth or Oak Beauty.
These two common early Spring moths are rarely encountered at The Dells and it looks like both species have eluded the 2015 year list.
Brindled Pug is an immediate target right now as I missed it last year for the first time ever, although I spent 10 days in hospital during the height of the flight.
The mothing has been dire of late but will pick up big time from now.
 Species list is 22 down on last year but 11 better than 2013.

March 28 - April 5

28th March
Warm (min. temp. 8.2 deg)
Windy, gusts to 40 mph.
Cloudy.
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 1
2187 Common Quaker, 1
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker, 1
2190 Hebrew Character, 1
2243 Early Grey, 2

2189 .. Twin-spotted Quaker

29th March
Cooler, 4.2 deg C min. temp.
Windy, 35mph gusts
light rain clearing
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 2
2187 Common Quaker, 2
2188 Clouded Drab, 3
2190 Hebrew Character, 1
2243 Early Grey, 2
Larva on garden brick wall, grazing on lichen.
Around half an inch long.(width of a brick seam)
Marbled Beauty, final instar before pupation.

30th March
6.9 deg C min. temp.
Very windy, 70mph gusts.
One trap, sheltered side of house.
The strong gusts were enough to re-arrange my garden furniture, despite this, there were two "adrenalin rush" moths in the trap the following morning ...
2188 Clouded Drab, 1
2243 Early Grey, 1

31st March
2.8 deg C min. temp.
Cold and windy, 30mph gusts
2190 Hebrew Character, 1

Year first Peacock butterfly in garden amongst the Dog Violets, much later than last year (9th March) ...

... however, Brimstone and Tortoiseshell were only 5 days later than 2014

1st April
4.6 deg C, prolonged light rain with a strong gusting breeze.
Traps under rain covers.
0663 Diurnea fagella, 1
2182 Small Quaker, 1
2188 Clouded Drab, 2
2190 Hebrew Character, 3
2306 Angle Shades, 1, year first

Angle Shades

Small Quaker

Year first Bee Fly, warming up on the garden wall, much later than 2014, on the 8th March.

Bee-fly, Bombylius major

2nd April
6.4 deg C min.temp.
Persistent light rain after midnight.
A year first Muslin Moth (male, females are white) arrived on exactly the same day as last year

Muslin Moth

0663 Diurnea fagella, 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 1
1862 Double-striped Pug, 2
2063 Muslin Moth, 1, year first.
2187 Common Quaker, 4
2190 Hebrew Character, 3
2243 Early Grey, 3

This tiny Pea Weevil was on the garden shed window.
About 5mm in length ...

Pea Weevil, Sitona lineatus

3rd April
6.8 deg C min. temp. Calm but light rain. Trap covers on.
0663 Diurnea fagella, 1, white, the previous 2 were dark
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 1
2187 Common Quaker, 1
2188 Clouded Drab, 3
2243 Early Grey, 2

4th April
6.1 deg. C min. temp. Calm, overcast
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 3
2187 Common Quaker, 3
2188 Clouded Drab, 2
2190 Hebrew Character, 5
2243 Early Grey, 6

5th April
2.4 deg C min. temp. Calm, sharp drop in temp when skies cleared, with a near full waning moon.
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 2
2187 Common Quaker 2
2190 Hebrew Character 4
2243 Early Grey 3

2015 ... 24 species to date
2014 ... 46 species to date
2013 ... 13 species to date

2nd April 2014 ... Saharan Dusty Wave

Another warm evening saw moth numbers increase to 57 of 14 species.
Had to dust off the perspex sheets in the traps as a mixture of unacceptable London pollution combined with an acceptable (yeah right) level of European pollution, and just for good measure, a wave of dust from the Sahara desert joined them on a light easterly breeze covering the traps and my vehicles with a light orangey-brown coating.
The cars can wait.

Out of Africa ... my car bonnet

Trap results:-
0483 ... Epermenia chaerophyllella, x 1
0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana, x 1
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 2
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 9
1862 ... Double-striped Pug, x 14
1917 ... Early Thorn, x 1
2063 ... Muslin Moth, x 1, ... year first

Diaphora mendica, Muslin Moth, male

2182 ... Small Quaker, x 2
2187 ... Common Quaker, x 11
2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 6
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 4
2243 ... Early Grey, x 2
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow, x 2
2469 ... Herald, x 1, ... year first

Scoliopteryx libatrix, The Herald

The first Hedgehog was seen snuffling around the garden last night (2nd April)

1st May 2013 ... Ticking along

Still waiting for a couple of warm, humid nights, but the year tally is slowly moving along with two more macro's to add from the garden traps last night.

The Catch ...
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella ... White-shouldered House-moth ... 1
0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana ... Common Flatbody ... 1
1497 ... Amblyptilia acanthadactyla ... Beautiful Plume ... 1
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla ... Common Plume ... 7
1862 ... Gymnoscelis rufifasciata ... Double-striped Pug ... 1
2063 ... Diaphora mendica ... Muslin Moth ... 2, YF

2063 ... Muslin Moth ... Diaphora mendica

2182 ... Orthosia cruda ... Small Quaker ...1
2186 ... Orthosia gracilis ... Powdered Quaker ... 1, YF

2186 ... Powdered Quaker ... Orthosia gracilis

2187 ... Orthosia cerasi ... Common Quaker ... 1
2243 ... Xylocampa areola ... Early Grey ... 1

Butterflies seem to be doing ok in the garden with Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tip, Brimstone, Small and Large White and Holly Blue all noted.

Holly Blue ... Celastrina argiolus

Orange-tip ... Anthocharis cardamines

8th May 2012... Good, until the rain came (again)

Overnight min. temp. 9.1 deg. gentle southerly breeze....then RAIN
Once again the weather put the brakes on what was becoming an excellent night.
It was still 12 deg at 23.00 hrs. and the local moths were itching for an excursion around The Dells garden.
But at 23.30...down it came and continued for the rest of the night.
Best moth of the night by a long chalk was Chamomile Shark, a garden first and
scarce for the county with just 23 past records.
NB. Another county Chamomile was caught on the same night by Will George....see blog on http://i-moff.blogspot.co.uk/  I believe this one is a male, whereas mine is a female, which deposited eggs in the capture pot.
Thanks to Andy & Melissa Banthorpe (county macro recorders) for confirming ID

Trap results :-
0229 Monopis obviella 1
0647 Brown House-moth Hofmannophila pseudospretella 1
0649 Esperia sulphurella 1
0695 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
0808 Platyedra subcinerea 4, year first
0974 Argyrotaenia ljungiana 3
0985 Carnation Tortrix Cacoecimorpha pronubana 1, year first
0998 Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla 2
Plus 1 unidentified for gen det...result later
1728 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata 2
1834 Common Pug Eupithecia vulgata 2
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 8
1906 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata 1
1936 Waved Umber Menophra abruptaria 2, year first
2007 Swallow Prominent Pheosia tremula 1, year first
2063 Muslin Moth Diaphora mendica 1, year first
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta 7
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 1
2214 Chamomile Shark Cucullia chamomillae 1, garden first
2283/4 Dark/grey Dagger agg 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow Paradrina clavipalpis 2

Chamomile Shark, Cucullia chamomillae 

Waved Umber, Menophra abruptaria 

Swallow Prominent, Pheosia tremula

Grey/Dark Dagger agg

Muslin Moth, Diaphora mendica

808 Platyedra Subcinerea

985 Cacoeicimorpha pronubana

30th April 2011...So close !

My target of 100 species before the months end just fell short last night, but it was close.
The fact that I was gorging myself, and putting up with the only ale they had on offer (Unworthingtons super chilled bitter beer, commercially produced for those who know not what they do) at a Wedding reception, meant that I was unable to carry out my half hourly patrols of the lights and traps.
This has been very productive over the weeks, but I was thrilled to return and find a STREAMER 1747 on the shed window above the 36 watt Blacklight.

Species number 99 appeared around Skinner trap #1 in the shape of this cracking LIGHT BROCADE 2157

MUSLIN MOTH 2063 minus half an antenna

One of four LIME HAWKMOTH 1979 trapped so far this year, from the previous evening

A posse of SHUTTLE-SHAPED DART 2092 ready for the release point 30th April :-

18 x Shuttle-shaped Dart

2 x Turnip Moth

Pale Mottled Willow

Pale Tussock

Brimstone Moth

Muslin Moth

Grey Dagger agg

Scalloped Hazel

Streamer *year first

Light Brocade *year first

Epiphyas postvittana

Argyrotaenia ljungiana

Pyrausta aurata

Patyedra subcinerea

99 species to date, 64 macro, 35 micro

21st April 2011 ...2 new micros

Two small micros caught last night were new to The Dells garden. Both about 4mm long ... The top pic shows the HORSE CHESTNUT LEAF-MINER, Cameraria ohridella 366a

ARGYRESTHIA TRIFASCIATA 409a.....both of these moths have colonised in recent years My second SALLOW KITTEN 1997 GREY/DARK DAGGER 2284/2283

MUSLIN MOTH 2063....3rd record to date

WORMWOOD PUG 1830 ......First record this year

FEMALE MUSLIN MOTH

My second stunning LIME HAWKMOTH 1979 for the year, with many more to come.

Another year first...COXCOMB PROMINENT 2008

The 4th SWALLOW PROMINENT 2007 of the year That's 73 species for the year so far, it wasn't until the first week in June that 73 were recorded in 2010.

What a difference the sun makes....last year was very cold in April.

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

48 macros and 25 micros for 73 species to date

17th April 2011...Bad moon rising

Numbers were well down on previous nights, due to a big, bright, full moon in the clear night sky. Just 19 moths recorded of 14 species, mostly singles and for the first time in an age...no Common Quaker ! There were 4 more species to add to the year garden total and the weather looks like hitting high temps this week...could be a bonanza week if the clouds cover the big moon. ........ LIME HAWKMOTH 1979...first appearance this year, common in my garden

MUSLIN MOTH 2063.... another first for the year, also reasonably common.

MUSLIN MOTH...side view

COCHYLIS DUBITANA 964....First visit from this common micro

SCOPARIA AMBIGUALIS 1334 first for year Last nights results:-

3 x Emmelina monodactyla

2 x Garden Carpet

2 x Ruby Tiger

2 x Early Grey

1 x Double-striped Pug

1 x Least Black Arches

1 x Clouded Drab

1 x Pale Mottled Willow

1 x Powdered Quaker

1 x Muslin Moth * year first

1 x Lime Hawkmoth *year first

1 x Agonopterix heracliana

1 x Cochylis dubitana *year first

1 x Scoparia ambigualis *year first

Totals :-

835 moths caught (667 macro, 168 micro)

56/57 species (40 macro, 16/17 micro) one ID pending

16th May...Two new garden moths

Temperatures dropped to 4degC last night and NOT the 8degC min as per the Weather man forecast. Even so, two new garden moths were trapped
............................................
PALE TUSSOCK
garden first

SPECTACLE

garden first

MUSLIN MOTH 24 moths of 14 species in and around traps :-

9 x S.S. Dart

2 x Falme Shoulder

2 x Emmelina monodactyla

1 x Pale Tussock

1 x Spectacle

1 x Common Pug

1 x Garden Carpet

1 x Brimstone

1 x Hebrew Character

1 x White-shouldered House-moth

1 x Brown House-moth

1 x Light-brown Apple-moth

1 x Pale Mottled Willow

1 x Muslin Moth