16th Oct 2014 ... "Green Stuff"

Above ... Merveille de la Nuit would be a more appropriate name for this beautiful moth ... always a thrill to see in the autumn moth trap.
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Last night was overcast and much warmer with warm air being pulled in from the Azores, enjoy it while it lasts.
The forecasted rain during the night missed Biggleswade and the night was pleasantly warm.
31 moths of 17 species was a good return compared to the last couple of weeks.
Both Sallow and Mallow were rescued from the numerous Garden Orb spider webs around the garden.
So far it's been a poor year for Sallow species in my garden with only Centre-barred, Barred and The Sallow recorded in low numbers.
The normally annual Pink-barred and Dusky Lemon Sallow have not yet been recorded this year although there is still time, and Pale Lemon Sallow has turned up in the past.
Diamond-back Moth has had a big year with another two seen on the trap perspex.
Of the "green stuff" ... Red-green Carpet was last seen in spring until last night, Green-brindled Crescent and Merveille du Jour were both new for 2014
Great Diving Beetles are on the move and occasionally turn up in the traps and I normally drop them in the small garden pond, but not this time as I have many Goldfish fry in there, I know Halloween is approaching but ........
16th Oct :-
Monopis obviella, 2
Plutella xylostella, 2
Epiphyas postvittana, 6
Emmelina monodactyla, 3
Mallow, 1
Red-green Carpet, 1

Red-green Carpet

Common Marbled Carpet, 1

Shuttle-shaped Dart, 3

Lesser Yellow Underwing, 1

Setaceous Hebrew Character, 2

Blair's Shoulder-knot, 3

Merveille du Jour, 1 ... year first

Merveille du Jour

Green-brindled Crescent, 1 ... year first

Green-brindled Crescent

Dark Chestnut, 1

Dark Chestnut

Barred Sallow, 1

Barrted Sallow

Sallow, 1

Angle Shades, 2

Great Diving Beetle

Search for Buff October ...

In the trap last night, 14th Oct ....

A Buff Ermine, probably late or is it really early ! Almost certainly the latest VC30 record.
Either way, with the partial view I got when I looked in the trap my first thoughts were of Ben Sale and Britains first Fall Webworm, hoping it was Britains 2nd until I got a look at it.
Still, a Buff Ermine on October 14th must be a lot rarer than all of the autumn moths I've dipped out on lately :(
Last nights catch:-
Plutella xylostella, 1
Blastobasis lacticolella, 1
Epiphyas postvittana, 4
Emmelina monodactyla, 2
Willow Beauty, 1
Common Marbled Carpet, 1
Spruce Carpet, 1

1769 Spruce Carpet

Buff Ermine, 1
Turnip Moth, 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4
Large Yellow U'wing, 1
Lesser Yellow U'wing, 2
Setaceous Hebrew Character, 1
Black Rustic, 1
Blair's Shoulder-knot, 3
Beaded Chestnut, 4
Lunar Underwing, 1
Pale Mottled Willow, 1 (small, autumn generation)

11th Oct 2014 .. Slowing down

Not a lot to report in the garden traps, the bright full moon of late isn't helping.
Only two moths added to the the year list since I last posted on the 5th Oct, a rather worn Dark Sword-grass (9th) and a Red-line Quaker last night.
Micro moths are down to the regular Light Brown Apple Moth and Common Plume...

Red-line Quaker

11th Oct
Epiphyas postvittana, 2
Emmelina monodactyla, 1
Mallow, 1
Common Marbled Carpet, 1
Willow Beauty, 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart, 4
Large Yellow Underwing, 1
Lesser Yellow Underwing, 3
Square-spot Rustic, 1
Black Rustic, 3
Blair's Shoulder-knot, 4
Large Ranunculus, 2
Red-line Quaker, 1, year first
Beaded Chestnut, 1
Lunar Underwing, 3
Barred Sallow, 1

5th Oct 2014 ... Barred Sallow + new micro

Min overnight temp 7.6 deg.
Barred Sallow was added to the year list, not unexpected, but the Blackthorn seedlings I planted in Spring have yielded a new micro moth in leaf mine form..
0067 ... Stigmella plagicolella

A distinctive mine on Blackthorn ... 67 Stigmella plagicolella

2272 Barred Sallow

4th Oct 2014 .. What a change !

Talk about good luck.
The week-long boating holiday last week was blessed with glorious sunny weather, I even got sunburnt.
Temperatures above 20 degrees all week and minimum night temps no lower than 12.
I missed a good autumn mothing week though, and just to rub it in, I put on the garden traps last night and the cold front dropped the temp down to 3 degrees with a clear sky and a bright waxing moon.
However, I managed to add a Sallow to the year list which was one of just 8 species.....

BF 2274 The Sallow

The wine race took a turn for the worst as Matt of Trappingsofsuccess took full advantage of my weeks absence and leaf-mined his garden with a fine tooth pick, he must have checked every leaf in the garden, the result of which has put me firmly back in 2nd place ... no change there then.
Sad to say, Ben Sale of Essex Moths, back in 3rd place, will require powerful binoculars to pick out the puffs of dust on the horizon ...
Footnote:
The said Ben Sale will not be too bothered about the wine race.
While I was away, he dicovered a Fall Webworm in his Stevenage garden trap, a new species for Britain.
Now that's what I call a mega-tick !