28th Feb 2012 ... Garden trap results.....

Overnight min. temp.... 8.1deg,  low cloud, fine drizzle or heavy mist.
14 moths of  9 species was a good return with a year first Agonopterix alstromeriana.
A record number of Satellite (4) was nothing compared to the 20+ in Bennyboymothmans garden trap !

Trap results:-
2187.....Common Quaker....................Orthosia cerasi
2188.....Clouded Drab.........................Orthosia incerta
2243.....Early Grey...............................Xylocampa aereola
2256.....Satellite x 4.............................Eupsilia transversa
0688.....Agonopterix heracliana x 2
0695.....Agonopterix alstromeriana, ...  year first
0998.....Epiphyas postvittana
1025.....Tortricodes alternella x 2
1524.....Emmelina monodactyla

Epiphyas postvittana



Tortricodes alternella




Agonopterix alstromeriana



Common Quaker, ...Orthosia cerasi



Clouded Drab, ... Orthosia incerta



Satellite, ... Eupsilia transversa

27th Feb 2012 ... Early Grey

Overnight min. temp. 9deg, light rain,
The "peak" period was stymied by the rain and the trap covers remained on until 11pm when I returned from the cinema.
The film, by the way, was "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", quite good.
Not a lot in the traps this morning but I managed to add an Early Grey to the 2012 garden year list.

1025 Tortricodes alternella x 2
1524 Emmelina monodactyla x 2
2243 Early Grey ... Xylocampa aereola ... year first
2256 Satellite ... Eupsilia transversa

EARLY GREY ... Xylocampa aereola

26th Feb 2012 ... Hope springs eternal

overnight min. temp ...  5.1 deg. calm, mostly clear, rain before dawn.
Moon, Jupiter and Venus close together and VERY visible in the early evening sky.

I was tidying up the front garden and preparing the ground for a broom hedge today (26th) when I noticed this bracket fungi growing on the side of a leylandii stump. The largest of the brackets is 45mm across but I don't know the species......

Bracket fungi

Last nights conditions were near perfect for the time of year but mothwise it was very quiet apart from 3 x Agonopterix heracliana in the first hour of darkness.
I decided to get a few shots of a couple of caterpillars on the walls plus whatever else was kicking about.
During the photo session, a moth had settled on the wall and to my surprise it was a new addition to the garden list.........

Spring Usher, Agriopis leucophaearia

Trap results
  0688 Agonopterix heracliana x 3
 2256 The Satellite, Eupsilia transversa x 2
 2190 Hebrew Character, Orthosia gothica
 1932 Spring Usher, Agriopis leucophaearia   garden first

25th Feb 2012 ... Garden traps

overnight min. temp. ... 1.4 deg. calm, clear
Very little around as the temperature dipped.
The expected Common Quaker duly obliged and the Double-striped Pugs are set to follow.

0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana x 3
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla x 2
2187 ... Common Quaker ... Orthosia cerasi ... year first

Common Quaker ... Orthosia cerasi

24th Feb 2011 ... Dribs and Drabs

Overnight min. temp. 2.7 deg. mild early evening, slight breeze.
All moths caught before 7.30pm
A year first Clouded Drab enjoyed celebrity status before familiarity breeds contempt and the host that follow are unceremoniously shooed out of the box at the release point.
Common Quaker must be due anytime now.

Trap results:-

Dark Chestnut x 4
Clouded Drab ... year first
Agonopterix heracliana x 5
Emmelina monodactyla


                                          CLOUDED DRAB ... Orthosia incerta

                                          DARK CHESTNUT ... Conistra ligula

23rd Feb 2012 ... Hello Shylock

Overnight min. temp.... 7.3 deg. with a gusty breeze.
Ten plus degrees for most of the evening and an acceptable wind.
Disappointingly, only one macro turned up after a crowd of early evening micros.

Agonopterix heracliana x 8
Emmelina monodactyla x 2
Hebrew Character ... year first



HEBREW CHARACTER






22nd Feb 2012 ... garden traps

Min overnight temp ...9 deg
Very windy, easing at 9pm
A little disappointing given the mild night.
Just one new for year micro to add.......

Satellite
Dark Chestnut
Epiphyas postvittana
Tortricodes alternella ... year first

1025 Tortricodes alternella



Dark Chestnut



Satellite

21st Feb 2012 ... Garden Trap

Overnight min: 5.7 deg ... windy,
The wind chill felt more like 2 deg.
2 moths of 2 species trapped ...

Grey Shoulder-knot ... Year first
Satellite



Satellite/Grey Shoulder-knot



Grey Shoulder-knot

20th Feb 2012...one garden micro

2.4 deg. min. last night, much warmer than the two previous nights and expected to get up to 16 degrees or more by thursday.
I'm hoping that Oak Beauty will make a re-appearance in the garden...
I had none in 2010 but last year I had 7 records from Feb 9th to March 9th.

Last night I added one micro to the garden year list:-




The so-called "Beautiful Plume"...1497. Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

 

18th Feb 2012... Satellite, half & half

Sub - zero temperatures are back for a day or two.
The trap went on for the early evening and a Satellite was attracted to the adjacent wall.
The interesting thing about this particular Satellite were the markings, which were half orange and half white.
The two "satellites" were, 1 orange and 1 white, and the main blotch was a combination of orange/white.
I haven't seen this "hybrid" form before....... click to enlarge.
                                     

SATELLITE



Agonopterix heracliana

Trap results:-
15th Feb ... Min. temp = 4.8 deg ... Dark Chestnut
16th Feb ... Min. temp = 5.7 deg ... Agonopterix heracliana x 2
17th Feb ... Min. temp = 6.6 deg ... Agonopterix heracliana x 5
18th Feb ... Min. temp = minus 0.4 deg ..Satellite

14th Feb 2012... A Moth !

Min overnight temp ... 5.1 deg, NW wind 20mph gusts, light showers.
It's been 19 days since the last moth sighting in the garden due to the icy conditions so it was nice to put the traps on and add another species to the year list...... Satellite, plus another entry for my growing list of unidentified larvae.




The Satellite



Unidentified larva ( 22 mm )

WINE BET UPDATE
Trent V Captain Trappings ( Matt ) .. Winner: 1 bottle of quality red
The garden macro species race, will now resume, but on a more level playing field.
I was expecting a slight advantage with the Captain & crew going away for 3 weeks to the Cayman Islands but the trip had to be cancelled last week.
Disappointment in large doses for the wife and kids but more so for daughter (grand-daughter) Keely who was on the rough end of a dose of chicken pox and is still covered in spots.
Her brother Louie is on "spot watch" as his turn is probably due around now.
A re-arranged trip may have to be next year, but hopefully it will be May or June to give me an even better advantage !
I do enjoy a nice glass of red...even more so when I haven't paid for it, so having lost the bet for the two years of its existence, I need an edge.
Latest odds..... Captain T ........ 1/2
                           Trent.............. evens