Clevedon: 30 October 2010

An unexpected catch last night in my garden was a female Crescent Dart.  My garden is approximately 1km from the coast, but not exactly the "Coastal cliffs and rocky shorelines" habitat suggested by Waring.

Bob Fleetwood

Manor Road, Taunton - Min. temp. 3°C

Just seven moths of four species last night. Yellow-line Quaker was new for me though, so not all bad.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - lowest temp 5 degrees

33 moths of 14 species the highlight being a very fresh, and very late Silver Ground Carpet.

A very autumnal night last night with a number of November moths amongst the catch. One of these looked very much like a Pale November Moth and I tried checking the genetalia but what I saw under my hand lens didn't look like any of the illustrations in the book! Any advice on how to do checks on November moths would be welcome. This was also the first night since July without a Setacious Hebrew Character in the trap.
No sign still of any moth migrants but I did have about 20 Harlequin Ladybirds in and around the trap.

Provisional dates for your diaries. Please try to support Mike Ridge's efforts during 2011 - he has gone to a lot of trouble to organise dates and locations. When confirmed a comprehensive list will be posted on the Somerset Moth Group and BC events page of this website.

1 April Combe Hollow (for barred Tooth-striped)
22 April Lime RIdge/Wych Lodge
29 April Berrow Dunes
2 May Thurlbear or Staple Common
13 May Ivythorn Hill
20 May Worley Hill
28 May Shapwick Heath
3 June Orchard Wood (for Pauper Pug)
10 June Cothelstone Hill
15 June Hurlstone Point
17 June Adcombe Wood
24 June Buckland Wood
1 July Langford Heathfield
8 July MOD rifle ranges Langport
15 July King's Cliff
22 July Crook Peak
29 July Berrow Dunes
5 August Shervage Wood/Woodlands Hill
12 August Ham Wall (RSPB)
19 August Parsonage Farm (Exmoor)
26 August Draycott Sleights
2 September Wessex Water land
9 September Shapwick Heath
16 September Berrow Dunes
23 September Hurlstone Point
30 September Lime Ridge Wood/Wych Lodge
7 October Worley Hill
14 October Cothelstone Hill

Mike Ridge has sent me a list of species for trapping sessions during late September and October.
These were at Haddon Hill (17th Sep, Robin Clatworthy); Berrow Dunes (29th Sep, Robin Clatworthy and 4th Oct, Robin Clatworthy & Mike Ridge); Hurlstone Point (10th, Robin Clatworthy and Dave Ayling); Staple Common (11th, Robin Clatworthy & Mike Ridge); Lime Ridge Wood (11th, Robin Clatworthy); Wych Lodge (15th, Mike Ridge, Clive Bedford).

Haddon Hill, 17th September – a very poor night with only 7 individuals of 4 species. Abandoned early!
Berrow, 29th September – 74 individuals of 23 species. A poor night owing to a clear sky and a fresh breeze. A very late record of Small Elephant Hawkmoth was the only highlight.
Berrow, 4th October – 63 individuals of 21 species, with several firsts for the year – Eudonia angustea, Shaded Broad-bar, Mallow, Green-brindled Crescent, Beaded Chestnut, Lunar Underwing, Pink-barred Sallow and Large Wainscot.
Hurlstone Point, 10th October – 73 individuals of 30 species including the usual Autumn appearances, with a good record of L-album Wainscot and a Vestal; also a Pinion-streaked Snout.
Staple Common, 11th October – 79 individuals of 17 species. First November and Pale November Moths (definite determinations) of the year, highlights probably Merveille du Jour and Figure of Eight (which has been declining recently).
Wych Lodge, 15th October – 103 individuals of 23 species including Ypsolopha sequella and Acleris emargana, Pale November Moth (definite determination), and a range of commoner autumn species.
Lime Ridge Wood, 15th October: 134 individuals of 25 species including November and Pale November Moths (definite determinations), Oak Nycteoline and, again, ), and a range of commoner autumn species.

Last night 23rd/24th October just 2 moths in the garden trap; a Feathered Ranunculus and my first Merveille du Jour. This is my second record for the year after finding a larva on Oak on 15th May in Weston woods.

A slight improvement on last time, with 12 moths of 10 species. Firsts for the year were Dotted Chestnut, Red- & Yellow-lined Quakers, Feathered thorn and November agg.  Also what could well be the last of the Setaceous Hebrew Characters, looking a bit frazzled.

More promising conditions last night produced 97 macros from 13 different species. Only first for the year was November Moth.

My trap was not running last night but i still had a moth, resting in our Lean-to this morning was a Humming-bird-Hawk-moth, will be released a little later.

After a sharp frost on Saturday night, I thought I would try a bit of trapping last night, as the forrecast was for a bit milder. Waste of time !! Only 3 large caddis flies, one gnat and no moths. Ho hum.

Two mild nights on the trot made me put a 6W actinic in Weston woods last night. A reasonable catch consisting of Feathered Thorn, Brick, Red-lined Quaker, 3 November Moth (confirmed by dissection), 2 very later Copper Underwing, Grey Shoulder-knot and Green-brindled Crescent. In the garden Silver Y and 2 Large Wainscot.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 7 degrees

Despite (or perhaps because of) the colder night we had two firsts for the autumn - Satellite and Feathered Thorn, among only nine species.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 13 degrees

Another migrant, a Scarce Bordered Straw which we have not seen since their very good year 2006 when we had 29 of the 38 we have recorded.

I too was disappointed with the catch on 8/10. I was expecting a good number, what with a new moon and mild temperatures, but I agree with John that the wind upset the applecart. Only 19 moths of 9 species, but they did unclude the first Pearly Underwing since 2006, a couple of fairly late Burnished Brass, and a very nice Figure of Eight, plus 2 Green-brindled Crescents.

Slightly disappointing night last night considering the minimum temperature was 15°C. A total of 23 moths of 12 species was a bit less than I was expecting. I suppose the rather strong wind kept the moths down. On the bright side I had three new species for my garden in Taunton - Vestal, Green-brindled Crescent and Black Rustic plus a Rush Veneer. Also had eight micros which are the first for a few weeks.

Like Peter a very good night with 2 Silver y and last evening a Humming-bird Hawk-moth, with a promising weather forecast a we in for a mini invasion of migrants.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe = Min Temp 13 degrees

An excellent night with 27 species including three migrants, Rush Veneer, Delicate and our first Vestal for the year.

The foggy conditions last night encouraged more moths to rest outside the trap than in, with eleven Blair`s Shoulder-knot and a mixed bag of eight other species, first for year Bullrush Wainscot The Sallow Red-line Quaker and Pearly Underwing also on the 5th Feathered Ranunculus

No Ian, you're not the only one who hasn't seen a Hummingbird Hawkmoth this year. A friend of mine who probably lives less than a mile from me but on the outskirts of Taunton get's them regularly in his garden but I've not seen one in 26 years in mine.

One afternoon recently a large moth, which was flying erratically over the traffic in Wellington Road, Taunton near Tesco, eventually landed on one of the traffic lights and proved to be a Red Underwing. The first I've ever seen.

catch up time, overall catches rather poor, first for year Blairs Shoulder Knot 29/09 Mallow 01/10 Large Wainscot and Green Brindled Crescent 03/10 and a Campion in pristine condition.

Paul. Although I've never had a Humming Bird Hawk Moth in my trap I believe that they do come to light quite regularly. In Atropos No. 30 there is a picture of 8 moths resting together inside a trap in Cornwall.  Despite searching I am yet to catch up with it this season despite reports coming in of it being seen all over the county. Am I the only SMG member who is yet to see a Humming Bird Hawk Moth this year?

A very mixed bag for 1st/2nd of the month, including Mallow,Green-brindled Crescent,Figure of Eight, Blair's Shoulder-knot, and assorted Chestnuts,mainly Beaded. The most surprising one however was a Hummingbird Hawk in the MV trap - the textbooks don't mention them coming to light, and my few previous records have all been in daytime. Is this as unusual as it appears to be ? Anyone else had one in a trap ?

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 13 degrees and very wet.

18 species including 41 Setaceous, 26 LYUs, 20 Beaded Chestnuts and our first Merveille du Jour for the year.

Taunton, Min. temp. 5°C

I had my first ever Blair's Shoulder-knot last night but apart from that four Large Yellow Underwings and four Lunar Underwings to make a total of just nine moths. I haven't caught a single micro for several weeks now.