7th April 2018

A very tardy start to the mothing year for me although to be fair the weather has in general, been woeful. The trap produce a reasonable bunch of moths although dominated by a very high count of Common Quaker (44 individuals). I was however surprised to get three new moths for the garden including one that looks likely to be a first for VC29!

[394] Caloptilia populetorum
[395] Brindled Pug
[396] Pale Pinion

So, the only micro recorded turned out to be quite interesting. It took a while to work out but the identification looks pretty safe for Caloptilia populetorum, a scarce species of heathland and scrub with birch as its foodplant. Its been recorded once before in Hunts (in 2015) but excluding any potential 2017 records yet to be ratified, it hasn't been recorded at all in Cambs. Its slightly more regular in Norfolk, with the nearest records coming from the Lakenheath area it seems. One photo taken in Norfolk looks a dead ringer for mine. 

Caloptilia populetorum

Pale Pinion is a far from regular early spring species here and as well as being new for the garden I only recorded it once at Corbett Street on a near identical date (the 6th) in 2014.

Pale Pinion Lithophane hepatica

Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata

Otherwise, there was a couple of  Small Quaker:

Small Quaker Orthosia cruda

In addition to a Satellite, which comes quickly after the gardens first in November last year:

The Satellite Eupsilia transversa