30th May ... Yet more new moths for 2014 ...

Another good mothing night with 44 species recorded icluding a new species for garden, Small Clouded Brindle (below)

It looks much more "tent shaped" than its normal flatter pose, this is because it is frozen.
I meant to leave it in the freezer for half a minute to calm it down for a photo ... but the phone rang !
Other new for year moths are as follows:-
Tinea pellionella (from my lounge room)
Epinotia bilunana, below

Aglossa pinguinalis, Large Tabby, (below)

Clepsis consimilana (below)

Treble Brown Spot (below)

Purple Bar (below)

Silver-ground Carpet (below)

Sandy Carpet (below)

29th May 2014 .. More "year first" moths

A good night for the garden traps with 40 species of moth recorded.
Heart and Dart have replaced Shuttle-shaped Dart as the most numerous species in the traps.
Two more Toadflax Brocade were in the traps making 12 for the year and fast approaching last years high count of 17.
The first grass moth was recorded last night, Crambus lathoniellus, and a year first Common Footman which will shortly infest the traps.
Dark Arches x 3 and an Elephant Hawk-moth completed the year newbies ...

1301, Crambus lathoniellus

Below
1991, Elephant Hawk-moth

Below
2050, Common Footman

Below
Dark Arches

28th May 2014 .. More moths for the year list

27th May ... Celypha striana

28th May
Monopis obviella

28th May
Foxglove Pug

28th May
The Flame

28th May
Shears

28th May
Snout

26th May 2014 .. Latest year list additrions ...

The wet and cooler conditions continue and look like staying until the weekend.
Just one trap runnung at the moment but with a rain cover which restricts its range.
A trickle of year firsts are still turning up with a Peppered Moth on 25th and Common Wainscot 26th.
Peppered Moth ...

Common Wainscot ...

Not much else apart from the usual Shuttle-shaped Darts, Pale Mottled Willows, Heart and Dart, and a large Turnip Moth
Light Brocade, Common Marbled Carpet added a splash of colour and Silver Y is now appearing nightly.
Very few micros, Carnation Tortrix and Pyrausta aurata by day and one Light Brown Apple Moth and Agonopterix arenella during the night.
Agonopterix arenella below.

24th May 2014 ... Garden Traps latest ...

Much quieter this week with lower temperatures and rain showers, some very heavy.
Two more additions to The Dells year list ...
23rd May
LIGHT EMERALD

24th May
My signature moth
CAMPION

24th May
My 10th record of TOADFLAX BROCADE this year

22nd May 2014 ... 4 more year ticks

The latest additions to the year list ...

Above ... Straw Dot
Below ... Lime-speck Pug

Below ...
Epiblema trimaculana

Below ...
Orange Footman

Below ...
Large Yellow Underwing

20th May 2014 .. Moth update plus

Temperature dipped back to single figures for the first time since May 5th but only just, 9.7 deg was the overnight low.
3 new moths for the year ...
Common Swift

Green Pug

Mottled Rustic

Nothing spectacular moth-wise but a sit out in the garden today was much more interesting.
My first Red Admiral this year, Damsel Flies and the first Longhorn Beetle which unfortunately has to be recorded as an aggregate.
Leiopus nebulosus was split in 2009 apparently so unless positively ID'd is recorded as L. nebulosus s.s./ linnei. (below)

Very well camouflaged on the brick wall, just above some decaying Bird Cherry logs which may have attracted it.
Below, first 2014 Red Admiral

Below, Common Blue Damselfly (I think)

19th May 2014 ... Moth catch report

13.2 deg min. temp
After the previous nights first Hawk-moth of the year, two more turned up last night, Lime Hawk-moth and Poplar Hawk-moth.
Micro moth numbers are steadily increasing with 5 newcomers for the year list.
A heavy shower during the night meant wet traps this morning but a nice variety of moths were recorded ... year first moths in bold.
Tinea trinotella, 1
Argyresthia trifasciata, 1
Elachista argentella, 1
Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 1
Endrosis sarcitrella, 3
Bryotropha affinis, 1
Platyedra subcinerea, 2
Scrobipalpa costella, 1
Mompha subbistrigella, 17
Epiphyas postvittana, 9
Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, 1
Epiblema cynosbatella, 3
Eurrhypara hortulata, 1
Aphomia sociella, 4
Red Twin-spot Carpet, 1
Garden Carpet, 3
Common Marbled Carpet, 1
Spruce Carpet, 1
Mottled Pug, 3
Common Pug, 2
Yellow-barred Brindle, 1
Brimstone Moth, 2
Waved Umber, 2
Lime Hawk-moth, 1
Poplar Hawk-moth, 1
Buff-tip, 1
Pale Tussock, 1
White Ermine, 1
Least Black Arches, 1
Turnip Moth, 2
Heart n Dart, 4
Shuttle-shaped Dart, 50
Setaceous Hebrew Character, 1
Nutmeg, 1
Bright-line Brown-eye, 4
Lychnis, 1
Large Nutmeg, 1
Rustic Shoulder-knot, 5
Treble Lines, 4
Pale Mottled Willow, 3

From the top ...
Tinea trinotella
Bryotropha affinis
Spruce Carpet
Lime Hawk-moth
Poplar Hawk-moth
Ditto
Pale Tussock
Red Twin-spot Carpet
Scrobipalpa costella
Elachista argentella
Eurrhypara hortulata

18th May 2014 ... Busy Traps

The continued warm spell is bringing in a variety of moths to the garden traps and it is getting difficult to keep up with it all.
8 more additions to the year list were added last night including the first Hawk-moth.
In previous years the first Hawk-moth has been Lime but this year it is Small Elephant ...
Trap Catch
Endrosis sarcitrella, 1
Agonopterix arenella, 1
Platyedra subcinerea, 4
Epiphyas postvittana, 4
Epiblema cynosbatella, 5
Cydia pomonella, 1
Aphomia sociella, 2
Ephestia parasitella unicolorella, 1, year first
Emmelina monodactyla, 1

Small Dusty Wave, 1
Garden Carpet, 2
Small Waved Umber, 1
Mottled Pug, 3
Freyer's Pug, 2, year first (below)

Common Pug, 2
Scalloped Hazel, 2
Waved Umber, 1
Willow Beauty, 5
Small Elephant Hawk-moth, 1, year first (below)

Buff-tip, 1
Puss Moth, 1
White Ermine, 1, year first (below)

Turnip Moth, 1
Heart & Dart, 3
Shuttle-shaped Dart, 43
Flame Shoulder, 1
Cabbage Moth, 1
Light Brocade, 1, year first (below, lazy shot)

Bright-line Brown-eye, 1
Lychnis, 1, year first (below)

Angle Shades, 1
Rustic Shoulder-knot, 1
Treble Lines, 1
Vine's Rustic, 3
Pale Mottled Willow, 2
Silver Y, 1, year first (below)

Spectacle, 1, year first