15th July 2013 ... Cherry Picking

The hot spell continues, the moth numbers have increased and a sudden busy spell at work means that I haven't had time to count and process everything in the traps.
Millions of Brown moths, too many.
Some notables .... 5 Clay was a high count and Lime, Elephant, Privet and Eyed made up the Hawk-moth catch.
Dingy Shears, Small Ranunculus, Sandy Carpet, Maple and Swallow Prominent were nice finds along with Early Thorn, Shaded Broad-bar and 5 huge Swallow-tailed Moths all standing out amongst the Brown horde.
SO, here are some pics of the moths that I "cherry picked", most are new for the year, but some are well worth a mention....
0873 ... Blastobasis adustella ... Dingy Dowd ... YF

873 ... Blastobasis adustella

1723 ... Ruddy Carpet ... YF

1723 ... Ruddy Carpet ... Catarhoe rubidata

2421 ... Scarce Silver-lines ...

2421 ... Scarce Silver-lines ... Bena bicolorana

1371 ... Sitochroa verticalis ... Lesser Pearl ... YF

1371 ... Sitochroa verticalis

1425 ... Galleria mellonella ... Wax Moth ... YF

1425 ... Galleria mellonella

1941 ... Mottled Beauty ... YF

1941 ... Mottled Beauty ... Alcis repandata

1020 ... Cnephasia stephensiana ... Grey Tortrix ... YF

1020 ... Cnephasia stephensiana 

2318 ... Dun-bar ... 2 ... YF

2318 ... The Dun-bar ... Cosmia trapezina

2473 ... Beautiful Hook-tip ... YF

2473 ... Beautiful Hook-tip ...  Laspeyria flexula

2466 ... The Blackneck ... YF

2466 ... The Blackneck ... Lygephila pastinum

1917 ... Early Thorn

1917 ... Early Thorn ... Selenia dentaria

10th Aug 2011...Improving

Overnight min temp :- 13.3 deg.....windy
Nothing exciting in the traps but at least it was 5 deg warmer and looks to be even warmer tonight with the wind dropping.

COLEOPHORA HEMEROBIELLA

BLASTOBASIS ADUSTELLA

TOADFLAX PUG

GELECHIA SENTICETELLA

PHYCITA ROBORELLA

The wind didn't blow anything exotic into my garden but numbers were up and 41 species were recorded.

20th July 2011...Warmer night brings new County micro

EPINOTIA CAPRANA 1154 (County "first")

What a difference a few degrees makes during this relatively cold July weather.
The traps were full of moths and amongst them was a county first pictured above.
Fortunately it was a classic form of this variable moth and presented no ID problems but to be sure pics were sent to the recorder for confirmation.
What was it doing in my garden ? ......totally wrong habitat, unless my 1000mm x 750mm garden pond is pulling in marsh/fen species !

BLASTOBASIS ADUSTELLA 873 another new micro for The Dells garden

Hawkmoth species are doing well at The Dells, with EYED, POPLAR, PRIVET, LIME, HUMMINGBIRD, ELEPHANT and SMALL ELEPHANT to date, so I was pleased to add another in the form of, not one but TWO....PINE HAWKMOTH......

......Just as I thought I had dipped out on this species !
Other highlights of the 70 species were:-
3 x Small Ranunculus, bringing the total to 21 for the year
2 x Silver Y
2 x Spectacle
1 x Sallow Kitten
1 x Poplar Grey
1 x Elephant Hawkmoth
1 x Chilo Phragmitella
1 x Zeiraphera isertana
1 x Metzneria metzneriella
1 x Ypsolopha scabrella

Garden running total :-
328 species...195 macro, 133 micro

The wine bet is looking a little grim now.
The Captain has increased his lead into double figures and now the school holidays have started, his rugrats will be combing every blade of grass.
This is bad news indeed because I am leading with macros but since Keely and Louie were eagerly given their own nets by C T, I am around 20 micros behind.
The holiday period could be a bridge too far !