Pale Mottled Willow was expected, Nutmeg was another year first and Mullein was a good find.
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| Mullein |
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| Nutmeg |
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| Pale Mottled Willow |
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
19th April '16 - Latest garden moth trap results
Despite the 2.4 deg min temp. and a near full waxing moon there were a few moths about.
Pale Mottled Willow was expected, Nutmeg was another year first and Mullein was a good find.
Another cold snap is heading our way by the weekend and could persist for a few nights but the next two days look promising in the VC30 area.
Pale Mottled Willow was expected, Nutmeg was another year first and Mullein was a good find.
Tuesday, 19 April 2016
19th April '16 ... Emperor Moth
A perfect day for putting out a pheromone lure that I bought last year and kept in the freezer until today.
10 minutes later I thought I had a result which turned out to be a Comma butterfly but three hours later a male Emperor was flying around the lure.
Not bad for my garden which is in the middle of Biggleswade town, but these lures can be detected by the male up to 3 miles away so it says on the tin.
I've put the lure back in the freezer now, no point in distracting more Emperor males.
10 minutes later I thought I had a result which turned out to be a Comma butterfly but three hours later a male Emperor was flying around the lure.
Not bad for my garden which is in the middle of Biggleswade town, but these lures can be detected by the male up to 3 miles away so it says on the tin.
I've put the lure back in the freezer now, no point in distracting more Emperor males.
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| Emperor Moth - Saturnia pavonia |
Monday, 11 April 2016
Poor returns from the traps ...
Moth numbers have been well down compared to previous years.
Latest garden moths ...
3rd April ... Zelleria hepariella, Early Thorn, a Brimstone Moth on the 7th and a Red Chestnut last night (10th April) pictured below.
So far this year only 24 species have been recorded in the garden.
At the same time last year the total was 32 but that was a bad year !
Latest garden moths ...
3rd April ... Zelleria hepariella, Early Thorn, a Brimstone Moth on the 7th and a Red Chestnut last night (10th April) pictured below.
So far this year only 24 species have been recorded in the garden.
At the same time last year the total was 32 but that was a bad year !
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| BF 2139 Red Chestnut |
Wednesday, 23 March 2016
22nd March '16 ... Garden Moth latest
It was going so well until the cloud cover disappeared, the temperature plumetted and the full moon lit up the garden at around 9 pm.
4 x Common Quaker and a Double-striped Pug were the only macro moths.
Amongst the 5 species of micro moths was a Caloptilia and I'm convinced it is "populetorum".
The small black dots along the leading edge of the forewing and the dark cilla fringe are diagnostic.
There are a couple of confusion species so this will require gendet to be absolutely sure.
If my ID is correct then this will be only the 3rd record for VC30 and the 2nd record was caught in my garden in 2014 at the same time of year.
Of the remaining micro catch there were 2 x Emmelina monodactyla, Epiphyas postvittana, Agonopterix heracliana and a year first Agonopterix alstromeriana
4 x Common Quaker and a Double-striped Pug were the only macro moths.
Amongst the 5 species of micro moths was a Caloptilia and I'm convinced it is "populetorum".
The small black dots along the leading edge of the forewing and the dark cilla fringe are diagnostic.
There are a couple of confusion species so this will require gendet to be absolutely sure.
If my ID is correct then this will be only the 3rd record for VC30 and the 2nd record was caught in my garden in 2014 at the same time of year.
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| Caloptilia populetorum - to be confirmed |
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| Agonopterix alstromeriana |
Monday, 14 March 2016
13th Mar. '16 ... First Angle Shades of the year ........
....... and many more to come.
Angle Shades is a common species in my garden and there are plenty of larvae still active at night that have yet to pupate.
Numbers peak in June with the second generation peaking in September, according to the current literature but can be found all year round in favourable conditions and the Autumn generation numbers are boosted by migrants.
My garden records more or less follow this pattern, apart from an exceptionally cold June in 2015
2015 records ... Angle Shades .... TL14 Bedfordshire
Jan Feb Mar. = 0 .... Cold start to the year
9 - April
15 - May
2 - June ... (temperatures well below average)
0 - July ... (limited trapping due to holidays)
11 - August
20 - September
17 - October
8 - November
1 - December
Angle Shades is a common species in my garden and there are plenty of larvae still active at night that have yet to pupate.
Numbers peak in June with the second generation peaking in September, according to the current literature but can be found all year round in favourable conditions and the Autumn generation numbers are boosted by migrants.
My garden records more or less follow this pattern, apart from an exceptionally cold June in 2015
2015 records ... Angle Shades .... TL14 Bedfordshire
Jan Feb Mar. = 0 .... Cold start to the year
9 - April
15 - May
2 - June ... (temperatures well below average)
0 - July ... (limited trapping due to holidays)
11 - August
20 - September
17 - October
8 - November
1 - December
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| Angle Shades - Phlogophora meticulosa |
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