Early October 2020

October was overall pretty good with most of the classic species turning up and a handful of new ones for the garden. An early Mottled Umber on the 6th was the first new species for the garden and just the third I have recorded in Cottenham:

Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria

Merveille du Jour is always a much anticipated October moth:

Merveille du Jour Griposia aprilina

Some other species that were new for the year in the first half of the month:

Rhomboid Tortrix Acleris rhombana

Large Wainscot Rhizedra lutosa

Red-line Quaker Agrochola lota

Yellow-line Quaker Agrochola macilenta

Sallow Cirrhia icteritia

[621] Mottled Umber

14th October 2017

Unseasonably mild weather forced my hand and the MV trap went out. amongst the decent haul of 24 species, I was rewarded with four new moths for the garden including the always superb Merville du Jour (two individuals) and an incredible five Large Wainscot (the number of which equals my total recorded in Cottenham from 2009 - 2015).

[380] Merveille du Jour
[381] Green-brindled Crescent
[382] Yellow-line Quaker
[383] Large Wainscot

Merveille du Jour Dichonia aprilina

Large Wainscot Rhizedra lutosa

Yellow-line Quaker Agrochola macilenta

Green-brindled Crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae

Beaded Chestnut Agrochola lychnidis

Beautiful Plume Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

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;