After finally sitting down to the data entry for 2015's moth trapping (I blame the house move) it appears that the final species total at Corbett Street was 457.
This was from 6 full years and also the tail end of 2009. This is more than I ever expected, especially as I only started looking at micro moths in 2013.
Keeping records of each trap night provides a bit of an opportunity at looking at some stats...here's the cumulative list as it developed from 2009 to 2015:
Obviously that doesn't tell the whole story as the rapid increase in 2013 reflects when I first started recording micros. Although it does imply that I hadn't reached a plateau quite yet, but it does suggest that it might be quite difficult to record much over c.300 macro moth species round here.
Species totals in each year showing both macro and micro moths:
2009 doesn't really count as I started in late July, but overall the number of macro moths species recorded was quite variable. 2012 was the best year while last year was quite poor. 2015 had a cold spring and I didn't trap in late summer much at all. The total of micro species recorded in a year does in contrast seem remarkably consistent; which is quite surprising as I expect that I overlooked some of the more cryptic species in 2013.
A graph showing trap effort:
So although 2012 was the year when most macro species were recorded, effort was not at the level of 2011 or 2014. Quite amazing (or worrying?!) that the trap went out 70 times in 2014! 2014 did result in the greatest species total of all moths.
A graph showing species recorded in each month gets a predictable result:
So July rules without having any real competition (324 species), while both June and August (219 and 218 respectively) are some way behind. The graph does suggests that I need to get the trap out in January and February...perhaps!
This was from 6 full years and also the tail end of 2009. This is more than I ever expected, especially as I only started looking at micro moths in 2013.
Keeping records of each trap night provides a bit of an opportunity at looking at some stats...here's the cumulative list as it developed from 2009 to 2015:
 |
| Corbett Street Moth List |
Species totals in each year showing both macro and micro moths:
 |
| Moth species recorded each year |
2009 doesn't really count as I started in late July, but overall the number of macro moths species recorded was quite variable. 2012 was the best year while last year was quite poor. 2015 had a cold spring and I didn't trap in late summer much at all. The total of micro species recorded in a year does in contrast seem remarkably consistent; which is quite surprising as I expect that I overlooked some of the more cryptic species in 2013.
A graph showing trap effort:
 |
| Trap nights each year at Corbett St |
So although 2012 was the year when most macro species were recorded, effort was not at the level of 2011 or 2014. Quite amazing (or worrying?!) that the trap went out 70 times in 2014! 2014 did result in the greatest species total of all moths.
A graph showing species recorded in each month gets a predictable result:
 |
| Moth species recorded each month |
So July rules without having any real competition (324 species), while both June and August (219 and 218 respectively) are some way behind. The graph does suggests that I need to get the trap out in January and February...perhaps!
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