25th and 27th Jan 2015 ... Is that U Stella ?

It was just about warm enough last night to warrant putting on a couple of traps.
2 moths was a poor return, an expected Light Brown Apple Moth but a species that I dipped out on last year was stirred out of hibernation by the warmer weather  ... Ypsolopha ustella

461 .. Ypsolopha ustella

27th Jan
Last chance to bag a few more moths before the next cold spell with temperatures at 6 deg rising to 8 deg through the night, although the real-feel was more like 4.
One Lone Ranger in the traps ...

688 .. Agonopterix heracliana

At least it's a start !

I missed the warm evening of the 5th Jan , too busy watching Liverpool struggle to beat lowly AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup.
Better late than never tho, trap on at 11.00 pm and although I missed the best part of the evening I managed to get 2015 started with a 464 Diamond-back Moth and a 998 Light Brown Apple Moth.

464 Plutella xylostella, Diamond-back Moth

This is the first time I have recorded P. xylostella in January, but no surprise as Nov and Dec 2014 saw record numbers.

998 Epiphyas postvittana, Light Brown Apple Moth

 E. postvittana is recorded pretty much all year round in my garden which has established apple trees 

28th Nov 2014 ..County 1st micro, garden 1st macro

After being informed by the missus that the little freezer was about to be de-frosted I decided it was time to remove the little pots and do the rounds.
First to the Banthorpe's residence to drop off the macro moths in their convenient little cupboard near the front door, then on to the Mannings to drop off the half dozen or so micro moths. Any excuse for a cuppa and a sticky bun.
The results of the micro gen dets came in today and after checking my notes against the results, I am feeling a little bit chuffed.
9th Sept, (after consulting with Trappingsofsuccess) Agonopterix nervosa, worn, tbc
12th Sept, 2x Depressaria badiella tbc
17th Sept, Very worn Celypha lacunana tbc
26th Sept, Depressaria sp. prob badiella tbc
20th Oct, Depressaria sp. prob badiella tbc
No problem ! 6/6
Then we come to 19th Sept
223/216 possible Nemaxera betulinella could be Nemapogon cloacella, worn.
Pleased to say it was the former and a new VC30 county first record.
Gen. det. David Manning, county micro moth recorder.

223. Nemaxera betulinella 19th Sept. 2014

The 28th Nov. got even better when I checked the traps/walls this morning (29th)
I have waited 5 years for this common woodland species to drift into town .....

1935 Mottled Umber, 28/11/2014

.... Mottled Umber at last !
My garden was probably the last remaining site in Bedfordshire where this hadn't been recorded. This one is a nicely patterned example of this very variable species.
Edit : A second Mottled Umber found on the brick wall this morning ! ...

The 9 deg minimum temperature last night brought out a few moths despite a few periods of light rain ...
0464 Plutella xylostella, 1
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 5
1395 Udea ferrugalis, 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 3
1799 Winter Moth, 1

Winter Moth, 28/11/2014

1935 Mottle Umber, 2, garden first
2259 Dark Chestnut, 2

Dark Chestnut, 28/11/2014

 2306 Angle Shades, 1

Angle Shades 28/11/2014

Since my last post on the 15th Oct the following list is the total garden moths recorded to date (28th Nov)
0229 Monopis obviella, 1
0464 Plutella xylostella, 5
0874 Blatobasis lacticolella, 1
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 35
1395 Udea ferrugalis, 3
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 14
1760 Red-green Carpet, 1
1799 Winter Moth, 3
1862 Double-striped Pug, 2
1935 Mottled Umber, 2
1923 Feathered Thorn, 1
2109 Lesser Yellow Underwing, 1
2227 Sprawler, 1
2259 Dark Chestnut, 4
2306 Angle Shades, 1
The 2 D. badiella that were gen detted were year first species bringing my year total to a tantalising 498, just 2 short of the magic 500

15th Nov 2014 ... Latest from the garden traps

The warmer nights since the mini cold snap a few days ago has triggered a hatch of Double-striped Pugs with two around the lights last night.

Double-striped Pug, BF1862

The bulk of the catch over the last 5 nights has been Light Brown Apple Moths, Epiphyas postvittana, with 15 records, and Common Plume, Emmelina monodactyla, with 5.

Epiphyas postvittana, BF 998

A second Sprawler this year was a good find on the 13th Nov. and only my 3rd ever garden record in 5 years of trapping.
Also on the 13th was a Red-green Carpet and a worn Lesser Yellow Underwing.

Sprawler, BF 2227

It's been a good year for the little migrant micro Plutella xylostella, The Diamond-back Moth, with record garden totals this year.
One more was in the trap last night ...

Plutella xylostella, BF 464

... and I almost overlooked a Grey Shoulder-knot on the light coloured stone wall near the trap.

Grey Shoulder-knot, BF 2237

10th Nov 2014 ... A few moths at last

The garden traps have been empty for a few days due to the cold spell apart from the odd Light Brown Apple Moth and a Common Plume.
Much warmer last night though and a Sprawler turned up.
This is rare in my garden as it is a woodland species and there is little woodland in the immediate vicinity.
The catch :-
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 5
2107 Large Yellow Underwing, 1 .. worn
2227 Sprawler, 1, year first
2306 Angle Shades, 1

Sprawler