New macro

I broke my duck at last on the elusive March Moth, elusive in MY garden that is. Got back at midnight after enjoying superb Indian cuisine at the India Lounge retaurant in Sandy and an excellent bottle of Australian Merlot at the "Ratface" domicile.
Temperature was 2.8 deg C, so no great expectations......and there HE was, sitting on the garden shed blacklight lampholder.
(Pale Brindled Beauty is still at large)
The next few days look to be unfavourable though according to the Met Office, with arctic conditions returning and strong winds.
The false Spring was good while it lasted...roll on the real Spring.
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March Moth 1663 (male)

The upgraded Skinner with 4 x 25watt FUL lamps as viewed from the house.

I daren't go any brighter but a 250watt mercury vapour is very tempting ! Tally to date :-

21 moths of 10 species (5 x micro, 5 x macro)

New micro

Perfect conditions last night, at least until midnight when the rain started.
The expected rush of macros didn't happen, much to my disappointment.
A few micros put in an appearance, and the little fella with the big name, pictured below, is a new addition to my scant micro list. This year I am determined to pay more attention to the micros which were sadly neglected previously.
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AMBLYPTILIA ACANTHADACTYLA 1497
Last nights tally:-
688 Agonopterix heracliana x 3
1025 Tortricodes alternella
1497 Ambyptilia acanthadactyla
count so far.......20 moths of 9 species

Micronite

A warm but wet evening slowed things down after last nights excitement. I even relinquished my brief early lead over the Ratface species count, of Upper Caldecote "Ratface" trap fame.
The micros were about in the early evening though.
No new species however, but hope springs eternal.....
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Agonopterix heracliana

Three x Tortricodes alternella

That's all folks !

Oh, What a Beauty !

At last ! Higher temperatures without the howling wind of previous nights.
All the garden traps went on along with the wall/shed lights and regular patrols were the order of the evening.
The lowest temperature was 5.5 deg C for a short period but it shot back up to 8deg shortly after when a cloud cover moved in.
Two Agonopterix heracliana were caught in the early evening, followed by a garden "first" Oak Beauty on the shed flourescent fitting.
A Satellite appeared on the shed wall followed by a new garden micro, Tortricodes alternella to end a long drought.
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one of two AGONOPTERIX HERACLIANA 688

A common micro but a Dells garden first for this.......

TORTRICODES ALTERNELLA 1025

688 Tortricodes alternella

This is the first "white eyed" Satellite record for the garden, the past captures have all been the form with orange "eyes".

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THE SATELLITE 2256

Last nights Piece de Resistance was undoubtedly this stunning Oak Beauty.

A new record for The Dells garden and a very welcome one.

UK Moths give the flight time as March, so the warm evening stirred this little beauty into action a little early.

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OAK BEAUTY 1930
Totals to date :-

4 Macro

4 Micro

10 moths in total

My garden traps and lighting set-up

This is my garden set-up, a weird and wonderful array of traps and lights.
Pictured below is my old faithful Skinner trap.
I could not possibly use a mercury vapour lamp as I live in a row of semi-detached houses with the back gardens meeting the adjacent back gardens of the houses opposite, if that makes sense.
The good thing about this is the houses were built in 1917 and there are well established shrubs and a few old fruit trees, even a large Scotts Pine two gardens away.
On the downside, there is quite a lot of light pollution.
SO, my no.1 Skinner is fitted with a 20watt blacklight tube and two 11watt PL lamps filched from a "Flykiller".

At the rear of the garden is an experimental Skinner, which also has two 11watt actinic lamps on seperate bridge.

This has been quite effective but will soon have 4 x 25watt FUL lamps fitted integrally.

This should test the neighbours patience as it will soon kick out 100watts instead of the 22watts it is now producing.

On the other side at the rear of my garden lurks my home-made shed.

Two 25watt BC blacklights in batten lampholders and a 15watt actinic flourescent fitting light up the shed wall and the stone back garden wall.

A white roller blind can be pulled down for that "disco" effect when the actinic florrie is turned off.

I have had some of my best results here, including a Scarce Bordered Straw, and tonight (feb 9th) a garden 1st Oak Beauty (pics on next posting), which is very early in the year for this species.

I like to light up the walls and patrol every half an hour with spec pots and camera, whilst thinking to myself about how much shite I am NOT missing on TV these days !

Finally, at the back of the shed I have fitted another 15watt actinic florrie between the shed and the Yew tree to light up the brick wall.

A perspex rainguard has been fitted so this is now a permanent fixture. This pulled in a year first Agonopterix heracliana tonight, the experimental Skinner nailed another A. heracliana and the shed wall lights attracted the Oak Beauty.

The Number One Skinner ? Zilch ! ....That's the way it goes.

I doubt if I will run all 4 together too often, it's not so bad at this time of year when very little is flying and it makes E.D.F. very happy, but later in the year this would become a full time occupation.

So there you have it...............

Full traps !