4th June 2013 ... Privet Hawk-moth cleared for landing

The first Privet Hawk-moth of the year crash landed into the trap last night, they really are massive !
Rather windy and cool, the wind chill is due to the temperature of the North Sea, which is well below the seasonal average. This is because of the very cold March.
The wind is coming from the North and it is being chilled by the sea temperature, so a southerly biased wind will give us warmer nights if we ever get one !
A good selection of moths were recorded last night, adding 7 to my year list but the micro moths are still thin on the ground.....

0985 ... Cacoecimorpha pronubana ... Carnation Tortrix ... 1 ... YF

985 ... Cacoecimorpha pronubana ... Carnation Tortrix

0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana ... Light Brown Apple Moth ... 1
1356 ... Evergestis forficalis ... Garden Pebble ... 1 ... YF

1356 ... Evergestis forficalis ... Garden Pebble

1727 ... Silver-ground Carpet ... Xanthorhoe montanata ... 1 ... YF

1727 ... Silver-ground Carpet ... Xanthorhoe montanata

1728 ... Garden Carpet ... Xanthorhoe fluctuata ... 4
1776 ... Green Carpet ... Colostygia pectinataria ... 1
1834 ... Common Pug ... Eupithecia vulgata
1976 ... Privet Hawk-moth ... Sphinx ligustri ... 1 ... YF

1976 ... Privet Hawk-moth ... Sphinx ligustri

1994 ... Buff-tip ... Phalera bucephala ... 1
2000 ... Iron Prominent ... Notodonta dromedarius ... 1
2007 ... Swallow Prominent ... Pheosia tremula ... 2
2060 ... White Ermine ... Spilosoma lubricapeda ... 1 ... YF

2060 ... White Ermine ... Spilosoma lubricapeda

2089 ... Heart and Dart ... Agrotis exclamationis ... 1 ... YF

2089 ... Heart and Dart ... Agrotis exclamationis

2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart ... Agrotis puta ... 5
2279 ... Sycamore ... Agrotis aceris ... 1
2283/4. Dark/Grey Dagger agg. ... Acronicta tridens/psi ... 1
2441 ... Silver Y ... Autographa gamma ... 1 ... YF

2441 ... Silver Y ... Autographa gamma

2450 ... Spectacle ... Abrostola tripartita ... 1

Bad news .....
I have declared war on these little varmints.
I am determined to see my Day Lilies intact, so removal and disposal* on a regular basis is the plan.
*  (disposal means my neighbour gets more than he should, if you know what I mean !)

Lily Beetle ... Lilioceris lilii