Gales in June ?

What's going on with the weather ?
It wasn't an option to fire up the traps last night, gale force winds and showers meant the traps were battened down instead.
Moths were the last thing on my mind as I went into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee, but the tiny moth that flew past the kettle and alighted on a nearby wall had to be potted up and examined ...

B.F. 240 ... Tinea pellionella, Case-bearing Clothes Moth

The wind is expected to lessen tonight but with clear skies in the VC30 area the bright full moon is not ideal.
I'll fire up the traps anyway, you never know.

Moth numbers on the up

Compared to the last few weeks, last night was almost a moth-fest.
Overcast, humid and a minimum overnight temperature of 8 deg saw 60 moths of 24 species come to the traps.
The night started off on the right note with Tinea pellionella flying around my computer screen for an easy year tick.
My late afternoon check of the interior sides of the shed windows reaped a reward as Mompha epilobiella was found amongst the many Mompha subbistrigella.

240 Tinea pellionella, Case-bearing Clothes Moth

893 Mompha epilobiella

Check list 7th May
0240 Tinea pellionella, 1, year first
0647 Hofmannophila pseudospretella, 1
0648 Endrosis sarcitrella, 3
0649 Esperia sulphurella, 1
0892 Mompha subbistrigella, 7
0893 Mompha epilobiella, 1, year first
0998 Epiphyas postvittana, 2
1288 Alucita hexadactyla, 1
1524 Emmelina monodactyla, 3
1728 Garden Carpet, 3
1837 Grey Pug, 1, year first

1837 Grey Pug

1862 Double-striped Pug, 6
1906 Brimstone Moth, 4
2003 Pebble Prominent, 1, year first  (at high level, just below the house roof)

2003 Pebble Prominent

2078 Least Black Arches, 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 12
2188 Clouded Drab, 1
2190 Hebrew Character, 2
2221 Mullein, 1, year first

2221 Mullein

2223 Toadflax Brocade, 2
2243 Early Grey, 1
2279 Sycamore, 1, year first

2279 Sycamore

2306 Angle Shades, 2
2389 Pale Mottled Willow, 1

18th March 2011...Guaranteed tick

Clear night, bright full moon, temperature down to freezing point. Not the best of conditions. However, I decided to run a trap until temps dropped below 2 degrees which happened at around 8.30pm.
A Dark Chestnut turned up at the trap but that was it for the night so I uploaded the pics on to the P C and noticed a little moth on the wall very near the computer screen.
Oh well, I had to get one sooner or later and they all count.......
..........................................................................
TINEA PELLIONELLA 0240 Case-bearing Clothes Moth

DARK CHESTNUT 2259 So far :-

196 moths (130 macro, 66 micro) of 23 species (16 macro, 7 micro)