It got a bit chilly by morning, but late evening temperatures are holding up at around 6/7 degrees.
I saw a programme on TV about moths and there was a theory that not only are they affected by the moon, but maybe the stars too and use them to navigate while on migration.
If that is the case, then they can't avoid being affected by the planet Venus, which is glowing in the early evening sky like an arc lamp right now.
Venus will reach its peak magnitude at the beginning of May, so it is gradually getting brighter ! It will be out of sight by the end of May tho.
An interesting fact about Venus.....it rotates so slowly, that its day is longer than its year.
Meanwhile, back to the moths..........
Last nights garden traps... 29 moths of 12 species :-
0688...Agonopterix heracliana 1
0998...Light Brown Apple Moth Epiphyas postvittana 1
1497...Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1
1524...Emmelina monodactyla 5
1862...Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 2
2182...Small Quaker Orthosia cruda 1
2187...Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 8
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| Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi |
2190...Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 3
2243...Early Grey Xylocampa areola 2
2256...The Satellite Eupsilia transversa 1
2306...Angle Shades Phlogophora meticulosa 2 ... year first
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| Angle Shades, Phlogophora meticulosa |
I only seem to catch Angle Shades in the autumn?
ReplyDeleteThat's my earliest...7th May and 6th July were the '11 and '10 "year firsts", but I get the bulk in Autumn.
DeleteI checked out your Water Carpet...is that the colour form for your area Stewart ? f. piceata ? or do they vary ?
I had an Angle Shades surprisingly on March 2nd so looks like a few are out and about early. Andy
ReplyDeleteI saw it on your blog Andy.
DeleteI wonder what the earliest Beds County record is ?
We should ask Andy and Melissa to compile an earliest/latest Beds record for all species and add the page to the Beds Moth Group !
Only take 5 minutes (:0))