Richard Fox has asked me to publicise the new Devon Moth Group website. I have changed the link on our 'links' page. A super website which is well worth a look!
Another disappointing night. Despite increased overnight temperature and an overcast night with some light rain just four moths in the trap. The only recompense is that three of them are new for the year.
1728 Garden Carpet Xanthorhoe fluctuata - 1 FFY, 1769 Spruce Carpet Thera britannica - 1 FFY, 1906 Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata - 1 FFY, 2187 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi - 1.
Still pretty grim only 5 species in small numbers, but FFY Swallow Prominent last night.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 7 degrees - a miserable very wet night.
Ian, my massive catch of six moths consisted of one species the Hebrew Character !
A massive 6 moths of 5 species including first Brimstone of the year.
I thought it couldn't get any worse than 2 moths in the trap but last night produced just a single Early Grey. I also had an unused trap blown over and a corner broken off it whilst the trap I was using had its bulb cracked by the heavy rain.
Only six moths of four species but they included two FFY - Red Chestnut and Light-brown Apple Moth.
A Mullein sitting on the outside of my trap this morning was a very welcome change from the rather poor catches of late.
Apart from yesterday morning's Brindled Beauty (see below) another poor night - again only 9 moths in total - 8 Hebrew Characters and one Clouded Drab. Marginally warmer nights forecast, so let's hope better things to come.
Mike Ridge has asked to let everyone know that the proposed meeting at Castle Hill Farm, Withiel Florey this coming Friday, 27th April, has been cancelled.
Happy St.Seorge's Day to all. One male Brindled Beauty in the house this morning - must have been dodging the showers yesterday - aren't they beautiful moths ?
10 moths from 5 species is an improvement but still not what is expected at this time of year. A Red Chestnut was the highlight. With me getting excited by that moth and John getting excited by his Silver Y it shows what a dull time we're having at the moment!
Promises of a less cold night, and a new moon - must be good for moths, yes ? No !! We still hsd a slight ground frost, (min 33F) and only 9 moths in two traps. 7 Hebrew Characters, 1 Early Grey and 1 Clouded Drab. Ho hum.
Like John I wouldn't have bothered to put out the trap except for GMS night! Ground frost, min temp 1˚C, but 3 moths - Pebble Prominent, Hebrew Character and - a real surprise - a Silver Y.
Quite a heavy frost this morning and I probably wouldn't have trapped except that I'm doing the GMS. Caught exactly the same as Ian. Singles of Hebrew Character and Early Grey.
I agree with Ian, with the cold nights April has been very disappointing moth-wise. Last night we had only eight moths of five species but they included FFY two Swallow Prominents.
After having such a dire catch last night I sought comfort today from previous years records. This time last year I was up to about 65 species compared to only 28 this year. It was surprising to find that last year was the exception and that for 5 out of the last 9 years I have only had between 25 and 31 species by this time. Looking for good omens it can be remembered that last year started extremely well before fizzling out in the summer whilst my next best start to a year was in 2007 which has gone down as the worst year for moths for a very long time.
It's like trapping in January here at the moment. Just an Early Grey and a Hebrew Character last night.
I hadn't ever considered what an Angle-shades looked like when it had just finished 'drying' its wings.but found this one on the wall at home. It was several hours before it assumed the 'normal' wing configuration. A common species, but quite beautiful.
Angle-shades moth soon after emergence and several hours later.
33 moths of 7 species including FFY an Angle Shades.
Only single Chocolate-tip and LBAM here last night.
Had it not been GMS night I wouldn't have bothered to trap. Cold (3 deg. C) and only 7 moths of 5 species - but Muslin and Pebble prominent were ffy. The rest were hebrew Character (2), Powdered Quaker (2), CLouded Drab (1).
Fairly cold here last night and just five moths most of which I suspect were in the trap before midnight.Two of these moths were first for this year in my garden which is a small compensation.
Skinner 40W actinic. Min. temp. -0.3°C.
Bright-line Brown-eye - 1 FFY, Common Quaker - 1, Hebrew Character - 1, Early Grey - 1, Nut-tree Tussock - 1 FFY.
Having seen a Clouded Yellow yesterday down on the Dorset coast I hoped for a more interesting catch last night. however it was just as before with only a handful of moths from only a few species. Last year I had caught 50 different species by the middle of April. This year I am only on 28.
Despite the cold 17 moths of six species including FFY a Brindled Beauty.
Me again. Another poor night - just 5 Hebrew Characters - must be the cold (we had a hailstorm 5 minutes after the traps went out, and a light frost later in the night). Apart from that, it shouldn't have been too bad, but it was !! Never mind, keep trying.
A very poor night - only 3 moths. 2 Early Greys and 1 Parsnip Moth (Depressaria heraclei, my first ever record here). I suspect the others had heard the weather forecast, and stayed at home. I can't say I blame them.
The moon is still keeping numbers low, only 16 moths of 7 species, including firsts this year Double-striped Pug and Brindled Beauty. The only remarkable thng was that there were no White-shouldered Housemoths in the rainwater butts, only a Wood Mouse, sadly deceased.
Although trap catches have been very poor recently (I have only put the trap out on Friday nights for the Garden Moth Scheme) I found a micro on the kitchen window last week - I ignored it initially as it looked like a Crambid but then realised that it was the wrong time of year. It turned out to be Ypsolopha mucronella, a Spindle feeder which hibernates as an adult. A new species for my garden.
451 Ypsolopha mucronella (apologies for the 'perch' - totally uncooperative specimen!).
I have put a list of the results from Robin Clatworthy & Mike Ridge's moth nights on a new page, title as above.
Rather late, I'm afraid, here are some images from the Middleroom Wood catch.
Thought I would have another go Saturday night as weather deteriorating. Pretty dismal trawl, 1 Hebrew Character, 1 Com Quaker, 1 March Moth, 2 Clouded Drab, but first Nut-tree Tussock- displaying beautifully.
The warmest night for some time but very wet. Only twelve moths of four species but one was FFY Red Twin-spot Carpet.
Terry Box of the Yorkshire Moth Group has asked me to set up a link which I've now done; from our welcome page go to the link page and click on 'Yorkshire Moth Group'.
I was hopeful for last night but then the moon appeared-only 2 Heb Charac, 1 Twin-spotted Quaker,1 Clouded Drab, but first Muslin and an Early Tooth-striped (sadly dead).
6th.April. Streamer 2,Early Grey 9,Hebrew Character 1,March Moth 1.
Like Ian, I've not bothered to do any trapping due to the inclement weather (since 28th.March), so I thought I'd have another go, as it was a bit milder last night. However, the full moon had much the same effect on moth numbers as the cold - only 5 Hebrew Characters, 1 Common Quaker, 1 Powdered Quaker, and 1 Muslin Moth, the first this year.
p.s. Still finding White-shouldered House Moths in the rainwater butts virtually every day, even with the covers on - where are they all coming from ? I had 10 at one time last week, and usually 2 or more at a time.
I put the trap out for the first time for a few nights last night. I haven't been bothering because the clear cold nights didn't seem promising. I think I would have been wasting my time as last night only produced about 15 moths with the only annual first being Nut-tree Tussock.
22 moths of nine species including FFY a Streamer.
A humming-bird Hawkmoth was observed in Weston-super-Mare today ST347623.