29th October 2015

Damp and fairly mild conditions resulted in only a few moths to be sorted pre-work. A Grey Pine Carpet was the scarcest (2nd garden record I think) but legged it before a photo was taken. New for the year and photographed were Green-brindled Crescent and Dark Chestnut:

23rd October 2015 - Merveille du Jour(s)

The trap was out more in hope than expectation last night but it was worth it - Merveille du Jour is on the garden list at last (#455) and there were two. The first was potted on the fence at 21:00 and the second was on the side of the trap - I only notice it once I started packing up. A truly stunning moth.

Very few other moths although a worn Yellow-line Quaker was new for the year:

While a Silver Y was amazingly the first one recorded since early September;

16th October 2015

Just a handful of moths over the weekend with the best being this Feathered Thorn. I've only recorded this species twice before so it was some compensation for there being, yet again, no sign of my most wanted moth (which will remain nameless).

Eudonia angustea

5th October 2015

There was consistent rain last night although with the mildest overnight temperatures for a while alongside, the trap went out again. It was certainly worthwhile with 27 species which is an excellent return for October. I had my latest ever records of Green Carpet, Rosy Rustic and Vine's Rustic while Barred Sallow (2)  and Black Rustic (4) showed up for the first time this year.

Rosy Rustic

Barred Sallow

Black Rustic

There were also a few micros to be picked through for the first time in an age. All common species but latest ever records of Blastobasis lacticolella and Clepsis consimilana were of note.

Blastobasis lacticolella

Clepsis consimilana

3rd October 2015

Even fewer moths this morning and no sallow species at all. There were the first Blair's Shoulder Knots of the autumn plus a White-point. White-point is still noted as being an immigrant species although they appear here regularly in small numbers throughout the summer and autumn - surely there is a local breeding population??

Blair's Shoulder-knot

White-point

Common Marbled Carpet

2nd October 2015

A cold night here again so I wasn't very hopeful of turning up much; indeed I couldn't see anything at all when I had a quick peek at 9pm. However there were three moths new for the year when I turned over the boxes this morning including the second garden record of Deep-brown Dart plus the more regular Red-green Carpet and Beaded Chestnut.

Deep-brown Dart

Red-green Carpet

Beaded Chestnut

19th September 2015

A small catch of around 30 moths but a couple of regular autumn species turned up for the first time this year. Large Ranunculus is a garden favourite, while Mallow is also quite smart and appears most years.

A flock of 15 Siskins low over the garden while checking the trap was a scarce sighting although there have been large numbers moving in / off the coast and in Cambs this autumn.

Large Ranunculus

Mallow

Angle Shades

12th September 2015 - Moth Night pt II

With all the Convolvulus Hawkmoths turning up on the coast I thought I would give the trap another go last night. Nothing doing on the hawkmoth front but glad I did as on the fence next to the trap at 22:30 was this chap; took me a while to work it out but its a Scarce Bordered Straw which is a um, scarce migrant.

A first for the garden (#454) and possibly the only one seen in VC29 this year (so far). 

11th September 2015 - Moth Night

A limited selection of moths for this years moth night, no migrant hawkmoths or other such outside shots!

Centre-barred Sallow is a classic autumn species that appears most years:

Centre-barred Sallow

A Lunar Underwing was the first recorded this year and should start to become quite common for the next month;

Lunar Underwing

Buff-tip caterpillar 31st August 2015

I'm fairly hopeless at caterpillars but this one found by the Mrs on her jacket appears to be a Buff-tip - one of the best garden moths.

28th August 2015

A few classic August moths appeared including plenty of Orange Swifts which was the moth that first got me interested in such things when two appeared on my bedroom ceiling n central Cambridge some 12 years ago.

Orange Swift

There was also another Old Lady in the trap, this one looked like it might have had a run in with the local Brown long-eared Bats....

Old Lady

I'venot done very well for migrants this year despite plenty evident elsewhere (although my Small Marbled was a bit of a mega). This Rush Veneer (a migrant micro moth) was the first one I've trapped this year..

Rush Veneer

Toadflax Brocade 21 August 2015

A Toadflax Brocade was the clear highlight of my first trapping effort in the garden for a month. This is a rare (Red Data Book) species and needless to say a first for the garden (#452. It is semi-regular at just a small handful of sites in Cambs.

A small totrix I absentmindedly took a photo of turned out to be Epinotia nisella - another addition, although more expected, to the garden (#453).