I found a patch of dyer's greenweed away from the main area at Merryfield earlier this spring. I looked there today and was pleased to see a dozen Grapholita lathyrana larvae. There were also other caterpillars. The one in the picture below will need rearing to sort out the id.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 degrees

The best night of the year so far with 37 species including new for 2009 - Clouded Silver, Cinnabar and Small Angle-shades.  We also had a var.combusta the dark variety of Clouded Bordered Brindle and three beautifully fresh Elephant Hawk-moths. Doug, here we have an enthusiastic Blue Tit which is quite unafraid of us and attends us at trap opening in the morning. He is particularly partial to White Ermine moths!

Looking at other members records my catches have been very poor not helped having a Great Tit choosing to nest just above my trap location, my only moth of note being a Silver Y on the night of the 27th, last night a liitle better with 23 macro species including Lime and Elephant Hawk Moths

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11 degrees

28 species including three firsts for the year - Elephant, Alder and Scorched Wing.

Straw Dot the only new for the year species this morning.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 11 degrees

As others have reported we had a better night here last night with 25 species with Chineses Character, Coxcomb Prominent, Small Magpie, Lychnis and Diamond-back Moth new for the year.  While typing this I see yet another Painted Lady moving through the garden at high speed !

Like Ian I had my best night so far - 133 individuals, 38 macros and 12 micros with a few unidentified micros to confirm. Micros included Diamond-back and Rush Veneer. Images to follow.

My best night of the year here with 121 macros from 34 types. 11 of these were firsts for the year and included my first garden Seraphim.  The other new ones for the year were Mottled Pug, Ruby Tiger, Dark Spectacle, Willow Beauty,Straw Dot, Mottled Rustic, Pale Mottled Willow, Orange Footman, Light Brocade and Cabbage Moth.

A warmish night last night. Not huge numbers of moths - highlights being Orange Footman, Dusky Brocade, Clouded Silver, Large Nutmeg, an early Snout and two Diamondback moths.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 9 degrees

A miserable wet night with only 9 species in the trap but they included two firsts for the year - Shark and Smoky Wainscot.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 degrees

We had 25 species in the trap last night including Clouded Border and Seraphim - both firsts for the year. On the ground near-by was a pristine fore-wing of a Puss Moth, presumably a victim of a bat!

A migrant in the trap this morning, in the form of a very pale Bordered Straw with tattered wings. A nice looking Alder moth was new for the year.

Alder Moth

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 10 degrees

A warmer night with 24 species including firsts for the year - Beautiful Golden Y, Flame, Straw Dot, Lobster and on a window P.purpuralis.

Trapping on Friday night brought the first Gold Spot of the year and two Rustic Shoulder Knots. I had my very first Rustic Shoulder Knot last year so perhaps they are on the increase.

Gold Spot

In a two hour walk at Lyes Cary this afternoon we must have seen 70-80 Painted Lady butterflies all tazzing northwards as fast as their wings would carry them. Look out Scotland, here they come. Not yet as prolific as in the 1996 invasion year when I counted over 1,000 an hour passing me on the Haldon hills in Devon one day but if the weather gives us any southerlies over the next week expect the hordes to arrive. There were hundreds of thousands reported from northern Italy this week. all heading this way :-)

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - min temp 6 degrees

A clear colder night with only nine species in the trap which was disappointing after a week which included a number of firsts for the year- Buff Ermine, Marbled Brown, Pale Shouldered Brocade, Poplar Kitten, Poplar Grey and Rivulet.  Also on one night in the local wood we had Broken-barred Carpet, Yellow-barred Brindle, Small White Wave and, I am pleased to say John, a P. conwagana.

Robin, Ian, James and I went out to Orchard Wood on Thursday night and despite a poor haul by comparison to earlier years did manage to find Blomer's Rivulet and Pauper Pug.

Blomer's Rivulet

I had this rather beautiful micro in the trap on Wednesday night, along with 39 other species - by far the best night of the year to date.

1011 Pseudargyrozota conwagana

We walked out to Burton Pynsent monument in Curry Rivel late afternoon and there was a single Painted Lady patrolling the bare ground round the monument.

The first Burnet Companions of the year today, at Haydon batch ST682535 and Orchardleigh ST776508 - both in new tetrads as far as I am aware.

A reasonable night last night with firsts for the year in my garden of Flame Carpet, Brown Rustic, Ochreous Pug and what will hopefully be the first of many Heart and Darts. Whilst out this morning I saw at least 6 Painted Ladies which is 4 more than I saw in total last year.

Spent a very pleasant morning in Dorset yesterday with James and Mark Parsons looking at micro larvae found on Dyer's Greenweed. This is in preparation for a quick search at Merryfield. we found the larvae of four different moths, all in spinnings in the terminal shoots. We have put tentative identifications to them but will breed them through to confirm. If anyone has already bred such material through and can confirm any of the species, I would be glad to hear from them.

probably Grapholita lathyrana

probably Mirificarma lentiginosella

probably Agonopterix atomella

probably a Cnephasia

15+ Grass Rivulets seen this lunchtime on Bath Golf Course.  The rough here is managed as limestone hay meadow and has an abundance of yellow rattle for the larvae.

Went out to Shapwick this morning - more in hope than in anticipation. I'd promised Butterfly Conservation that I would do some counts of Argent and Sable. The rain finally stopped at 12:30 so I went out to one of the favoured sites and waited, the cows were highly suspicious of this new thing in their midst. At 12:40 the sun appeared and at 12:50 the first Argent and Sable flew in and landed right next to me. Hmmmm no camera. I went back to the car and got myself set up and returned. Miraculously the moth was exactly where I had left it. Typically it took off just as I started focussing and went into a Birch about 3 metres up. Fortunately another two moths flew past and finally I managed to get one to land for long enough to snatch a quick photograph. My total count was 7-10 individuals with three together at one point. This is still early in their flight period so hopefully with a bit of fine weather we can look forward to a good year for them.

Also managed to get a shot of Marbled White Spot just before the rain began again in earnest.

Argent and Sable

Marbled White Spot

Small Yellow Underwing in the meadows at Sham Castle, Bath, yesterday and today.  Also Small Copper which has reappeared after being wiped out here by the heavy rain in May/June 2007.

Although, like Ian, I have had poor catches recently I out the trap out last night anyway - the pick of the bunch was a pristine Cream-spot Tiger.


I've had a request from the chairman of the Butler Memorial Trust which runs the 'green' burial ground at Westcombe. They are holding an open afternoon on Sunday 12th July and are looking for someone to be there to talk to visitors about moths. Unfortunately I will be in Shropshire teaching photography on the day, so is anyone able to help? I will visit the site beforehand and give them some ideas.

Please contact me if you can help - this could be a good site!

This year appears to becoming increasingly similar to the last two summers weatherwise with a warmish dry spell in early Spring being followed by continuous wet weather. As I write this it is pouring down outside and the forecast is for at least four days of similar weather. It hardly seems worth putting the trap out. Last night the highlight from a handful of insects was my first Setacious Hebrew Character of the year. When this is the highlight you know that things are poor.

Dashed out to Great Breach Wood this afternoon to check if there were any caterpillars of Barred Tooth-Striped. I thought I was on to one until I noticed the great pyramid like structure at its rear end. Further research at home reveals it to be Copper Underwing. The Latin name of Amphipyra pyramidea sort of gives you a clue ;-)

Copper Underwing larva

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 degrees

We did not trap on Wednesday night as the weather seemed so awful but probably we should have as last night seemed even worse yet we had 15 species of which 4 were firsts for the year - Treble Lines, Heart & Dart, Treble Brown Spot and Ruby Tiger.  The latter is interesting as until catching one in May 2008 I had never caught any of the first brood.

Less good last night but I had one Silver Y and one Dark Swordgrass. Also the red form of the Dark-barred Twinspot Carpet.

Red form of Dark-barred Twinspot Carpet

one Alder kitten

Just to show it is possible to continue mothing even in the rain. I just had a look in my back garden to see what it looked like for trapping tonight. The constant rain of today had grounded this mass emergence of Psychoides filicivora and confined it to the undersides of the emerging Hart's Tongue Fern fronds.

Psychoides filicivora

Went up to Draycott Sleights last night to see what the count of Light Feathered Rustic might be on a dark, still, warmish night, as opposed to the cool night with full moon that brought out five of them on Friday last. It turns out that the answer was one!!!

It was joined by over forty other species so not a bad night. Galium Carpet, Shears, Rustic Shoulder Knot and Treble Bar were new moths for the year and there were a few nice weevils to be seen in the undergrowth to add to the general natural interest. I can only think that the high winds of the last few days have driven all the Light Feathered Rustics down to Brean and Berrow. Be interesting to see if Brian Slade gets an influx :-)

Galium Carpet

Shears

Although Tuesday night was dire last night was the best of the year with 28 macro species including 6 year firsts: Peppered Moth, Poplar hawk, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Treble-lines, Vine's Rustic and Burnished Brass (4 of these!). There was also a Yellow-tail larva on the Wistaria next to the trap.

2030 Yellow-tail larva on Wistaria

While walking the dog in the fields below the house this morning I disturbed 2 Diamond-backs. No sign of the Painted Lady migration here but the daytime weather has been poor.

I was surprised later in the morning to see male Early Bumblebees Bombus pratorum nectaring in the garden - very early for males even of this species.

The last two nights have both had reasonable catches with 20 macro species last night with firsts for the year including Shears, May Highflyer and Lime Hawk Moth. The Lime Hawk Moth appears to be f. brunnea. It is a beautiful reddish brown colour and the first I have seen like this.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

Sunday May 10th was our best night yet of the year mothwise with 15 species in the garden trap including the first Treble Bar and a White Ermine while flying in the afternoon I saw a very fresh Silver Ground Carpet.  Encouraged by this we put a trap in our local wood and recorded 27 species including yearly firsts of Brown Silver Line, Peach Blossom, Least Black Arches, Hexadactylla, Spruce Carpet, Orange Footman (11), White Pinion-spotted, and Small Angle-shades.  This wood produces melanic specimens of several species and we had a very dark Coronet and a Tawny-barred Angle var nigrofulvata. The last two nights have been dull in comparison with Clouded Bordered Brindle the only new arrival in the garden trap.

Ian, I saw a Painted Lady today at Thurlbear, so perhaps they followed you back. Also saw Duke of Burgundy, Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper. Several male Adela reaumurella were swarming at the end of one particular Hazel branch. I had seen several Adela rufimitrella yesterday on Hedge Garlic plants at Ham Hill. The reaumurella have much longer antennae and in the males, completely black heads. They were a bit of a trial to photograph in the stiff breeze that was blowing. New moths for the garden last night included Oak Hooktip and Chinese Character.

Adela rufimitrella

Adela reaumurella

Duke of Burgundy

Dingy Skipper

Grizzled Skipper

Ian, I saw a Painted Lady today at Thurlbear, so perhaps they followed you back. Also saw Duke of Burgundy, Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper. Several male Adela reaumurella were swarming at the end of one particular Hazel branch. I had seen several Adela rufimitrella yesterday on Hedge Garlic plants at Ham Hill. The reaumurella have much longer antennae and in the males, completely black heads. They were a bit of a trial to photograph in the stiff breeze that was blowing. New moths for the garden last night included Oak Hooktip and Chinese Character.

A slightly better night last night with 4 Rustic Shoulder Knots as firsts for the year along with Sandy and Scorched Carpets. I have just returned from a few days in southern Spain and can report large numbers of Clouded Yellows and Painted Ladies just waiting to be blown over here. However I only saw a few Humming Bird Hawk Moths and a single Silver Y amongst very few moths observed.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp only 4 degrees and windy.

Only nine moths of seven species - one our first Poplar Hawk of the year.

Robin Clatworthy and Mike Ridge ignored all bad portents of low temperature and full moon on Friday night. They trapped at Draycott Sleights and I'm very glad they did as they caught 5 Light Feathered Rustic. To get that number on such a poor night should bode well for numbers on a warm, moon-free night. The moth is fond of places that are bare and stone-rich so Draycott fits the bill exactly. The adults are quite variable and I have shown two below to give an idea of the range. Compare these to the very pale form from Dungeness, pictured from earlier this month.

Light Feathered Rustic - a light one

Light Feathered Rustic - a darker form

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 5 degrees

Windier and colder and the poorest catch for many weeks - only six moths of three species for GMS night !

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 7 degrees

A wet and windy night with only five species in the trap including a Lime Hawk which I suspect is the individual I trapped on May 2nd.  Thanks James for confirming the ID of the Horse Chestnut I recorded on May 4th.

I've just attended an excellent Celypha woodiana workshop run by James McGill at Barrington Court. He had put a trap out the previous evening and although the catch was poor there was one individual of 431 Yponomeuta sedella. The larval foodplant is Orpine or related cultivated species of Sedum.

431 Yponomeuta sedella

Ruby Tiger, Garden Carpet, Heart and Dart and V-Pug all new for this year last night. Also a little something that James will need to see tomorrow. Tonight I've had a Pale Tussock sitting on the outside of the trap already. This afternoon came across this Green-veined White that for once behaved itself and sat prettily while I snapped away.

Green-veined White

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 5 degrees

It seemed colder - perhaps our thermometer is too sheltered from the North-westerly ! However we had two certain firsts for the year Common Carpet and Shuttle-shaped Dart and a probable Horse Chestnut - rather pale and still to be confirmed.  Interesting how almost all the Somerset records of this moth come from VC5. Up to now I have only had one in ten years.

A poor catch last night - strong cold NW wind - but two firsts for the year, Mocha and Small Waved Umber.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 5 degrees

The catch was only in single figures but included two firsts for the year - Scalloped Hazel and Adela reaumurella.

No Lime Hawks here in Langport but a better night last night with 39 individuals of 17 species including this rather beautiful Parornix sp.

Yesterday afternoon a female Muslin Moth flew across the garden and settled amongst the daisies on the lawn - only the third female I have seen.

I had a 'phone call from someone in Ash (Martock) who had found a 'scorpion' in her bath - it turned out to be a Fly Bug Reduvius personatus nymph. It readily consumed a dead Rhyngia hoverflywhich had drowned in my coffee!

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 7 degrees

Only twelve moths of nine species last night but we were delighted to get our first Lime Hawk-moth for the year but less pleased to see a Maybug - no doubt the first of many!

Nothing new in last night, Fridays have really been poor since I started the Garden Moth Survey, hopefully they will pick up soon. I went to Dungeness yesterday and managed to see some of the pale forms of some moths, such as the Light Feathered Rustic and Tawny Shears. In the warm sun, several dragonflies had emerged, including Brachytron pratense, the Hairy Dragonfly. Today on Portland, I found a Drinker caterpillar while watching the Collared Flycatcher that has taken up temporary residence there. My tiny looper caterpillar has grown some, still not sure which it is but I'm sure it knows.

Light Feathered Rustic

Hairy Dragonfly

Drinker larva

my little looper

two Least black arches

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 6 degrees

Despite heavy showers, (1 inch of rain overnight) we had four firsts for 2009 in the trap Iron Prominent, Peppered Moth, Green Carpet and Garden Carpet also only the second Brimstone Moth two weeks after the first appeared.  The second lot of "our" House Martins also arrived!