4th April 2014 ... Nut-tree Tussock

Overnight min temp .. 6 deg C, partly cloudy.
Nothing like the big catch of the previous night, being much cooler and fresher.
The usual Orthosia types turned up with a year first Nut-tree Tussock...

Colocasia coryli, ... Nut-tree Tussock

0688, Agonopterix heracliana, x 1
1288, Alucita hexadactyla, x 2
1524, Emmelina monodactyla, x 3
1862, Double-striped Pug, x 3
2182, Small Quaker, x 4
2187, Common Quaker, x 7
2188, Clouded Drab, x 1
2190, Hebrew Character, x 6
2243, Early Grey, x 3
2425, Nut-tree Tussock, x 1, ... Year first 

3rd April 2014 ... Warm start to Spring brings early arrivals

Min overnight temperature, 11 deg C, cloudy. Wind change from East to Sou'west.
Many early arrivals, including Yellow-barred Brindle, V-pug and Varied Coronet which is exceptionally early.
28 species were recorded

0284 ... Caloptilia rufipennella, x 1
0483 ... Epermenia chaerophyllella, x 2
0648 ... Endrosis sarcitrella, x 1, ... year first

Endrosis sarcitrella, White-shouldered House-moth

0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana, x 1
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 2
1047 ... Acleris schalleriana, x 1
1288 ... Alucita hexadactyla, x 2
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 8
1862 ... Double-striped Pug, x 17
1858 ... V-pug, x 1, ... year first

Chloroclystis v-ata, V-pug

1883 ... Yellow-barred Brindle, x 1, ... year first

Acasis viretata, Yellow-barred Brindle

1917 ... Early Thorn, x 1
2063 ... Muslin Moth, x 1
2064 ... Ruby Tiger, x 1, ... year first

2092 ... Shuttle-shaped Dart, x 1, ... year first

Agrotis puta, Shuttle-shaped Dart

2139 ... Red Chestnut, x 1
2170 ... Varied Coronet, x 1, ... year first

Hadena compta, Varied Coronet

2182 ... Small Quaker, x 5
2185 ... Lead-coloured Drab, x 1, ... year first

Eupithecia plumbeolata, Lead-coloured Drab (male)

2186 ... Powdered Quaker, x 1, ... year first

Orthosia gracilis, Powdered Quaker

2187 ... Common Quaker, x 25
2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 2
2189 ... Twin-spotted Quaker, x 1
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 6
2243 ... Early Grey, x 6
2256 ... Satellite, x 1
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow, x 2

2nd April 2014 ... Saharan Dusty Wave

Another warm evening saw moth numbers increase to 57 of 14 species.
Had to dust off the perspex sheets in the traps as a mixture of unacceptable London pollution combined with an acceptable (yeah right) level of European pollution, and just for good measure, a wave of dust from the Sahara desert joined them on a light easterly breeze covering the traps and my vehicles with a light orangey-brown coating.
The cars can wait.

Out of Africa ... my car bonnet

Trap results:-
0483 ... Epermenia chaerophyllella, x 1
0688 ... Agonopterix heracliana, x 1
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 2
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 9
1862 ... Double-striped Pug, x 14
1917 ... Early Thorn, x 1
2063 ... Muslin Moth, x 1, ... year first

Diaphora mendica, Muslin Moth, male

2182 ... Small Quaker, x 2
2187 ... Common Quaker, x 11
2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 6
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 4
2243 ... Early Grey, x 2
2389 ... Pale Mottled Willow, x 2
2469 ... Herald, x 1, ... year first

Scoliopteryx libatrix, The Herald

The first Hedgehog was seen snuffling around the garden last night (2nd April)

April 1st 2014 ... Mompha subbistrigella

Last nights trapping produced the usual fare but in fewer numbers as the sky was clear with a fresh feel.
At dusk, 3 Momphas were found on the windows inside of my garden shed where they have been over-wintering.

0892 ... Mompha subbistrigella, x 3, year first
0998 ... Epiphyas postvittana, x 1
1288 ... Alucita hexadactyla, x 1
1524 ... Emmelina monodactyla, x 6
1862 ... Double-striped Pug, x 5
1917 ... Early Thorn, x 2
2182 ... Small Quaker, x 4
2187 ... Common Quaker, x 4
2188 ... Clouded Drab, x 4
2190 ... Hebrew Character, x 2
2243 ... Early Grey, x 4

892, Mompha subbistrigella

Gen det produces a garden first Clouded Slender

No, not an April Fool prank !
This Caloptilia was posted on 16th March this year.
I had a guess at C. syringella and retained it for our county micro recorder.
The results came back today and it has been identified as 281 Caloptilia populetorum which is only the second record for VC30, the first being in 2003 in the R.I.S. Trap at Cockayne Hatley.
Information and gen det from David Manning, Beds and Northants micro moth recorder. 

281, Caloptilia populetorum

 Micro no. 292 for The Dells garden