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Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 9 degrees
More firsts for the year - Lesser Swallow Prominent, May Highflyer, Shears, Pyrausta despicata, a melanic Peppered Moth var insularia and a Buff Tip. I thought the last was the earliest Somerset record until I found that I had had one on April 23rd 2003! Weston moths
After successive days of clear nights a bit of cloud seems to have had an effect on the moths last night as the numbers in the trap suddenly took a turn for the better. Recorded new for year were Vine's Rustic, Sycamore, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Swammerdamia pyrella and a very smart fresh looking Puss Moth. Every now and then I get a reminder that I'm living next to the coast and last night I got my first ever garden record of White Colon.
Robin Clatworthy trapped at Bickham Wood SWT reserve on 23rd; 2 125W MV and one 40W actinic. Dusk until 12.45 am, mild, partial cloud cover.
1724 Xanthorhoe spadicearia Red Twin-spot Carpet 2
1747 Anticlea derivata Streamer 1
1750 Lampropteryx suffumata Water Carpet 6
1751 Lampropteryx otregiata Devon Carpet 1
1759 Ecliptopera silaceata Small Phoenix 4
1760 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet 1
1819 Eupithecia exiguata Mottled Pug 3
1834 Eupithecia vulgata Common Pug 1
1852 Eupithecia abbreviata Brindled Pug 33
1853 Eupithecia dodoneata Oak-tree Pug 1
1902 Petrophora chlorosata Brown Silver-line 5
1903 Plagodis pulveraria Barred Umber 1
1906 Opisthograptis luteolata Brimstone Moth 4
1917 Selenia dentaria Early Thorn 4
1919 Selenia tetralunaria Purple Thorn 6
1920 Odontopera bidentata Scalloped Hazel 3
1927 Lycia hirtaria Brindled Beauty 20
1936 Menophra abruptaria Waved Umber 5
1947 Ectropis bistortata Engrailed 7
1949 Paradarisa consonaria Square Spot 1
1951 Aethalura punctulata Grey Birch 4
2003 Notodonta ziczac Pebble Prominent 10
2008 Ptilodon capucina Coxcomb Prominent 2
2011 Pterostoma palpina Pale Prominent 1
2015 Drymonia ruficornis Lunar Marbled Brown 11
2043 Eilema sororcula Orange Footman 3
2063 Diaphora mendica Muslin Moth 4
2102 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder 1
2187 Orthosia cerasi Common Quaker 27
2188 Orthosia incerta Clouded Drab 28
2190 Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character 29
2243 Xylocampa areola Early Grey 1
2425 Colocasia coryli Nut-tree Tussock 8
Robin also took a Bordered Straw in his garden trap on 23rd - can we hope for a decent migrant year?
Yet another early moth last night with a Clouded Silver seven weeks earlier than I first saw it in 2010. I don't believe that I've ever had a Clouded Silver, Brindled Beauty and Red Chestnut in the same night before as I did last night.
Small Yellow Underwing seems to be having a good year. I have turned up a couple on Claverton Down in the last month and was quite surprised to see one on an apparently undistinguished looking field next to the Parrett at Chilton Trinity today. Butterflies at Turn Hill
My garden trap is producing very little of interest at the moment but an afternoon walk on Turn Hill near High Ham produced several butterfly species - Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Red Admiral and most notably a Wall Brown.  Brown Argus male
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 9 degrees
23 species including firsts for the year Poplar Hawk and Angle shades and a first ever for our garden a Glaucous Shears. We also trapped in our local wood for the first time this year and took 43 species including Coronet, Barred Umber, White Pinion-spotted, Rivulet, Maiden's Blush, Puss Moth, Square Spot and Small White Wave all of which are our firsts for 2011.
Reached 50 macros species for the year on 22nd April. This is about two weeks earlier than normal. The only comparable year was 2007 when I reached 50 on the same date. 2007 ended up being the worst year of the decade for moths by some distance! Worley Hill & New Hill, 18 April 2011
Robin Clatworthy & Mike Ridge trapped at Worley Hill, and Ian Mathieson at New Hill (both SWT reserves) on 18th. Clear, still conditions.
Worley Hill (two 125W Robinson, 1 40W actinic)
1676 Mocha (Cyclophora annularia) 6
1693 Cream Wave (Scopula floslactata) 1
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia) 1
1747 Streamer (Anticlea derivata) 3
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 2
1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 3
1781 Small Waved Umber (Horisme vitalbata) 1
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 7
1853 Oak-tree Pug (Eupithecia dodoneata) 2
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 2
1875 Small White Wave (Asthena albulata) 7
1888 Scorched Carpet (Ligdia adustata) 3
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 6
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 5
1927 Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria) 4
1936 Waved Umber (Menophra abruptaria) 1
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 1
2003 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) 2
2015 Lunar Marbled Brown (Drymonia ruficornis) 6
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 3
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 3
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 4
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 9
2237 Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus) 1
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1
2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 7
New Hill (1 125W Robinson)
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe spadicearia) 2
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1759 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) 1
1781 Small Waved Umber (Horisme vitalbata) 1
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 6
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 7
1875 Small White Wave (Asthena albulata) 3
1888 Scorched Carpet (Ligdia adustata) 1
1906 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) 3
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
1919 Purple Thorn (Selenia tetralunaria) 1
1920 Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata) 1
1927 Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria) 2
1936 Waved Umber (Menophra abruptaria) 1
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 1
2003 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) 1
2157 Light Brocade (Lacanobia w-latinum) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 8
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 3
2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 1
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 degrees
26 species including new for the year Flame Carpet, White Ermine, and Grey Birch (only the third we have had in the garden in thirteen years). Also two which Mapmate regards as being very early - Poplar Grey and Alder Moth. doug.miller
Total catch last night 32, first for year,Dog Tooth,Grey Dagger,Lime Speck Pug, Lunar Marbled Brown,Mullein and Seraphim perhaps i am in a no fly zone. Langport, VC6, 22 Apr 2011
A better night last night with 3 species including my first Hawkmoths of the year - A Poplar and a Lime - plus firsts for the year of Broken-barred Carpet, Common Carpet, Small Waved Umber and Waved Umber, Pale Prominent, White Ermine and Dog's Tooth.  Lime Hawkmoth male doug miller westonzoyland
Moth numbers and species have been very low plus the fact that we are lucky to have a pair of House Sparrows in attendance having a nest just around the corner, the waves are recorded more accuratley the birds do not appear to spot then as easily as the others, last night just 14 species a total of 36, a Maidens Blush being the second record for my garden and The Mocha on the 14th was a nice suprise.
Manor Road, Taunton
Best catch of the year in my garden last night 31 moths of 14 species. First for my garden was a male Muslin Moth and firsts for the year Small Magpie, Tachystola acroxantha, Flame Shoulder, Pale Mottled Willow, Spruce Carpet and Eudonia angustea.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 degrees
22 species including new for the year Coxcomb Prominent, Common Wave and Light Brown Apple Moth.
I had more Brindled and Oak Tree Pugs in my trap last night than I have had in total for the last 8 years with 11 Oak Tree and 25 Brindled Pugs. These numbers are mirroring on a much smaller scale the huge numbers that Mike and Robin have been catching around the county.
A number of firsts last night included Knot Grass, Ruby Tiger and another very early common moth, Setacious Hebrew Character. I have also seen that 2 Poplar Hawk moths that I have had pupating in the garage have hatched out overnight. Heale Wold, Curry Rivel, 22 April 2011
Malcolm Cotterill took this rather fine aberrant male Muslin Moth in his trap in Curry Rivel last night. I haven't seen anything like it before.  Muslin Moth male aberration. I'm grateful to Malcolm for the chance to photograph it.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11 degrees
26 species last night including firsts for the year - Orange Footman, Scalloped Hazel, Chocolate Tip, Spruce Carpet, Yellow-barred Brindle and P. purpuralis. Clevedon
Adding to the early occurrence list, I had a Lesser Wax Moth, Achroia grisella, in my garden trap on 19 April. Weston-super-Mare Moths
It's been a good year so far in Weston. This year to date I've recorded 103 species 65 of which are macros. Last year it was the 16th May when the 100 mark was reached. I was hoping to get my garden list to 350 by the end of the year, a total that has already been and gone. Last night saw 3 new for the garden: Nut-tree Tussock, Caloptilia syringella and Bucculatrix thoracella (featured above).
Just to add to the early sightings I had my first Heart and Dart here last night as well as other firsts in Least Black Arches, Shuttle-shaped Dart and Swallow Prominent. Crewkerne
Had a Bee moth (Aphomia sociella) on the conservatory last night. This fine spell certainly seems to be bringing out the moths early.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 degrees
No disappointment here David ! As reported we caught our Brown Silver-lines on April 14TH In the last two nights we have had Engrailed, Small Phoenix, Diamond-backed Moth, Tawny-barred Angle and only the third Horse Chestnut we have had here. Again Mapmate regards the Tawny-barred Angle as very early. Brown silver-lines
Sorry to disappoint you Peter, Paul Bowyer and I had Petrophora chlorosata (Brown silver-lines) at Shapwick Heath on Sunday 17th April Langport, VC 6, 20 April 2011
My first migrant of the year - a Diamond-back moth Plutella xylostella - was flying in the garden around 7pm this evening. Brindled Beauty larvae
The female Brindled Beauty which I found paired at the beginning of the month was sleeved out on a plum tree for a couple of days and laid a few eggs before being released. The eggs started to hatch on 18th. I hadn't realised how attractive the 1st instar larvae are.  Brindled Beauty 1st instar larva Cockercombe, Quantocks, 15 April 2011
Robin Clatworthy trapped at Cockercombe (ST1836) on 15th April. 2 x 125W MV, 1 40W actinic. 8.30pm - 12.30am. Mild & cloudy
663 Diurnea fagella 15
1724 Red Twin-spot Carpet Xanthorhoe spadicearia 1
1747 Streamer Anticlea derivata 4
1750 Water Carpet Lampropteryx suffumata 10
1760 Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata 3
1768 Grey Pine Carpet Thera obeliscata 1
1852 Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata 41
1862 Double-striped Pug Gymnoscelis rufifasciata 1
1881 Early Tooth-striped Trichopteryx carpinata 7
1917 Early Thorn Selenia dentaria 18
1919 Purple Thorn Selenia tetralunaria 7
1927 Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria 2
1947 Engrailed Ectropis bistortata 12
1949 Square Spot Paradarisa consonaria 1
2015 Lunar Marbled Brown Drymonia ruficornis 5
2078 Least Black Arches Nola confusalis 1
2139 Red Chestnut Cerastis rubricosa 9
2187 Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi 4
2188 Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta 9
2190 Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica 30
2243 Early Grey Xylocampa areola 2
2258 Chestnut Conistra vaccinii 3
2425 Nut-tree Tussock Colocasia coryli 2
Webbers Post, Exmoor 19 April p.m.
Several Brown Silver-line walked up from the dead bracken this afternoon plus one Engrailed/Small Engrailed (are they now considered as the same species?). The gorse was full of Cydia ulicetana.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 5 degrees
Despite the cold nights over the week-end we have had a number of firsts for the year- Brimstone Moth, Flame Shoulder, Spectacle, Lychnis and on April 14th what appears to be the earliest Somerset record a Brown Silver-lines. Mapmate queried this as being too early ! Pyrausta aurata
Pyrausta aurata in my garden this afternoon. Didn't see one until July last year but that may have been because I didn't know what I was looking at. All the books say May/June but I see it's currently on the "What's on the wing" list on this site albeit a long way down. Argyresthia glabratella
Last Thursday I detected old mines of Argyresthia glabratella in Stockhill Forest ST549513. Where the terminal shoot of Norway Spruce has died off one can see a small circular hole on the underside (or side). On the new growth in a few weeks' time leaves of affected shoots wither. There are no other recent records from our area.
Yesterday morning I had my first 2 migrants of the year with a Dark Sword Grass and a Pearly Underwing. Also had a Pine Beauty to catch up with all the others being caught. Problems with Blackbirds
'My' blackbirds have become a real problem - both male and female are at the trap before dawn, picking off anything outside the trap (with one or two exceptions - see below). I wonder if the UV light will harm their eyesight?
Yesterday morning they picked off several Hebrew Characters and Common Quakers, leaving a few wings on the ground, but seemed not to notice 4 Brimstone Moths which were sitting quite openly on the vegetation. They also ignored the 'bird droppings' - Chinese Character, Scorched Carpet, White Pinion-spotted and a Puss Moth. Staple Hill, Blackdowns, 8 April
Robin Clatworthy and Mike Ridge trapped at Staple Hill on 8th April. Two 125W MV traps, one 40W actinic; dusk to 12.15am. Clear skies, mild.
663 Diurnea fagella 16
1660 Polyploca ridens Frosted Green 16
1746 Anticlea badiata Shoulder Stripe 4
1747 Anticlea derivata Streamer 5
1750 Lampropteryx suffumata Water Carpet 6
1760 Chloroclysta siterata Red-green Carpet 4
1852 Eupithecia abbreviata Brindled Pug 37
1881 Trichopteryx carpinata Early Tooth-striped 11
1917 Selenia dentaria Early Thorn 17
1919 Selenia tetralunaria Purple Thorn 8
1927 Lycia hirtaria Brindled Beauty 10
1930 Biston strataria Oak Beauty 1
1947 Ectropis bistortata Engrailed 16
2003 Notodonta ziczac Pebble Prominent 1
2015 Drymonia ruficornis Lunar Marbled Brown 9
2091 Agrotis ipsilon Dark Sword-grass 1
2139 Cerastis rubricosa Red Chestnut 21
2179 Panolis flammea Pine Beauty 4
2182 Orthosia cruda Small Quaker 13
2187 Orthosia cerasi Common Quaker 63
2188 Orthosia incerta Clouded Drab 19
2189 Orthosia munda Twin-spotted Quaker 3
2190 Orthosia gothica Hebrew Character 53
2237 Lithophane ornitopus Grey Shoulder-knot 3
2243 Xylocampa areola Early Grey 3
2256 Eupsilia transversa Satellite 1
2258 Conistra vaccinii Chestnut 15
2260 Conistra rubiginea Dotted Chestnut 1
2425 Colocasia coryli Nut-tree Tussock 4
Not many moths last night here but there was a Maiden's Blush and a Purple Thorn amongst the few. Maiden's Blush is unusual here and seems quite early whilst Purple Thorn appears commonly amongst other's records but is again unusual here and wasn't seen by me at all last year.
Whilst out near Crewkerne on Tuesday I saw my first Small White and Small Copper of the year amongst hundreds of Orange Tips. In the garden was a very tattered Red Admiral. Manor Road, Taunton
Slightly warmer Sunday night but no improvement in catches yet. Nut-tree Tussock, Dark Sword-grass and Shuttle-shaped Dart first for the year. Dark Sword-grass is also first for my garden.
Nut-tree Tussock
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 7 degrees
Ttis weekend we have experienced a great rush of newly emerged insects. Iron Prominent, V-Pug. Purple Thorn, Pale Prominent, Waved Umber, White-spotted Pug and Dark Sword-grass. While recording the catch this morning we saw a Holly Blue and a Speckled Wood. Friday 8th April - Blue Anchor
Another April, another North-East wind and another Silver Cloud. This is the third in 5 years in my garden. Looking at the National Atlas, I can draw a line which bisects the known sites in the Severn Valley and runs straight down the Bristol Channel to Blue Anchor. I wonder how many actually make the journey each year.
Scarlet Tigers just love massed ornamental plantings of suitable foodplants in villages. There is a big population of larvae every year on Symphytum caucasicum at Combe Hay, which was well in evidence on Wednesday evening. Today I found another group on some kind of alkanet, at Mells. I find the larvae frequently enough on wild Symphytum officinale, usually near rivers or the Kennet & Avon canal, but never in more than ones and twos.
April has started much quieter than March finished in my garden with moth numbers being nearer what I would have expected. Last year I had 180 moths from 11 trappings in March. This year I had nearly 800 from the same number of nights.
Four new moths last night including Chocolate Tip, which I didn't record last year, and two of the most common moths in the year to come, Flame Shoulder and Bright-line Brown-eye. Shapwick Heath (Sweet Brook) 6th April
Robin Clatworthy trapped at Shapwick Heath (Sweet Brook) on 6th. Two Robinson 125W MV traps, one 40W actinic. Cool, clear, no breeze.
0663 Diurnea fagella 1
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 18
1858 V-Pug (Chloroclystis v-ata) 1
1881 Early Tooth-striped (Trchopteryx carpinata) 5
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 2
1919 Purple Thorn (Selenia tetralunaria) 1
1927 Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria) 35
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 4
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 4
1951 Grey Birch (Aethalura punctulata) 4
2000 Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius) 2
2003 Pebble Prominent (Notodonta ziczac) 1
2015 Lunar Marbled Brown (Drymonia ruficornis) 4
2043 Orange Footman (Eilema sororcula) 1
2068 Scarlet Tiger (Callimorpha dominula) 1 - larva in actinic trap.
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 6
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 3
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 20
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 73
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 5
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 17
2241 Red Sword-grass (Xylena vetusta) 1
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 3
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 10
2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 14 Manor Road, Taunton
A bit cooler last night for GMS at 5.5°C but a reasonable catch for my garden nevertheless. Thirteen moths of six species including first for the year Dark Sword-Grass and Shuttle-shaped Dart.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 8 degrees
The wind eased off last night and instead of 8 moths of three species we had 95 moths of 19 species. New for the year were Least Black Arches and a very early Rusty-dot Pearl which was in such mint condition that it is hard to believe that it is a migrant. Holford Glen (Quantocks) 2nd April
Robin Clatworthy trapped at Holford Glen on 2nd April - clear skies, cold, heavy dew.
0663 Diurnea fagella 2
1660 Frosted Green ( Polyploca ridens) 15
1663 March Moth ( Alsophila aescularia) 1
1750 Water Carpet ( Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1852 Brindled Pug ( Eupithecia abbreviata) 22
1881 Early Tooth-striped ( Trichopteryx carpinata) 14
1905 Horse Chestnut ( Pachycnemia hippocastanaria) 1
1917 Early Thorn ( Selenia dentaria) 1
1927 Brindled Beauty ( Lycia hirtaria) 2
1930 Oak Beauty ( Biston strataria) 8
1934 Dotted Border ( Agriopis marginaria) 1
1947 Engrailed ( Ectropis bistortata) 3
2015 Lunar Marbled Brown ( Drymonia ruficornis) 1
2139 Red Chestnut ( Cerastis rubricosa) 4
2182 Small Quaker ( Orthosia cruda) 26
2187 Common Quaker ( Orthosia cerasi) 75
2188 Clouded Drab ( Orthosia incerta) 37
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker ( Orthosia munda) 13
2190 Hebrew Character ( Orthosia gothica) 21
2243 Early Grey ( Xylocampa areola) 7
2258 Chestnut ( Conistra vaccinii) 8 Late news from Robin Clatworthy
Robin did two more trapping sessions in March but the information has only just reached me!
14th March - Sparkford Wood, by kind permission of Mrs Anne Aldworth; 2 x 125w Robinson MV and 1 40w actinic traps.
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 2
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 1
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 2
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 1
1881 Early Tooth-striped (Trichopteryx carpinata) 1
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 8
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 279
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 32
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 9
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 56
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 5
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 3
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 9
2469 Herald (Scoliopteryx libatrix) 1
16th March - Bickham Wood (SWT reserve - Robin Clatworthy & Peter Austin; 2 x 125w Robinson MV and 1 40w actinic traps.
1659 Yellow Horned (Achlya flavicornis) 2
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 4
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 5
1881 Early Tooth-striped (Trichopteryx carpinata) 4
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 224
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 4
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 2
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 38
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 54
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 46
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 54
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 14
2237 Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus) 1
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 3
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 4
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 6
2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 2
2260 Dotted Chestnut (Conistra rubiginea) 1
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 degrees
Last night the strong wind kept the catch down to the lowest for a month - only 8 moths of three species. Over the week-end we had our first Muslin Moth for the year and only our second Ypsolopha mucronella the first being in 2000. Thanks to James McGill for the ID. Acleris umbrana from Westonzoyland
Doug Miller took an Acleris at Westonzoyland on 27th March which I was fairly sure was umbrana. Bob Heckford looked at the specimen for me and confirmed my ID. This species may well be more widespread than previously thought in VC6. I've caught 9 here in Langport over the last 3 years.
The diagnostic feature is the tufts of raised wing scales (indicated by arrows in the second image).
1052 Acleris umbrana from Westonzoyland
raised scales on wing of A. umbrana
I took my first Brindled Beauty of the year n Friday night. yesterday, while walking the dog, I found a mating pair on a tree stake.
1927 Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria pair. Blue Anchor
Friday night was very windy and my GMS catch was 2 species, 8 moths. I tried again last night as wind had decreased and got 10 species including the first Powdered Quaker for my garden and my first Pale Pinion since 2006.
Seeing Peter and John's comments about Pine Beauty, I had one on 11th March this year my first since 2006.
Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11 degrees
An interesting nights trapping with 74 moths of 21 species. New for the year were Water Carpet, Frosted Green and only our third Agnopterix ocellana. The highlight, John will be interested to learn, was a Pine Beauty. This is our first since we moved here in 1998 and the first for ST02 since Dixie Dean had one at Langford Budville in 1986. doug.miller westonzoyland
One of a very poor catch of just 15 moths last night was a Scorched Carpet, another before its time?
Robin Clatworthy and Mike Ridge trapped at Great Breach Wood on 29th March; 2 x 125w Robinson MV traps and one 40w actinic. They took 290 individuals of 26 species.
Robin says that this has been an exceptional March!
0663 Diurnea fagella 26
1061 Acleris literana 4
1660 Frosted Green ( Polyploca ridens) 1
1663 March Moth ( Alsophila aescularia) 26
1746 Shoulder Stripe ( Anticlea badiata) 11
1747 Streamer ( Anticlea derivata) 1
1750 Water Carpet ( Lampropteryx suffumata) 8
1852 Brindled Pug ( Eupithecia abbreviata) 88
1880 Barred Tooth-striped ( Trichopteryx polycommata) 4
1881 Early Tooth-striped ( Trichopteryx carpinata) 7
1917 Early Thorn ( Selenia dentaria) 7
1927 Brindled Beauty ( Lycia hirtaria) 7
1930 Oak Beauty ( Biston strataria) 2
1947 Engrailed ( Ectropis bistortata) 8
2139 Red Chestnut ( Cerastis rubricosa) 2
2179 Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea) 1
2182 Small Quaker ( Orthosia cruda) 43
2185 Lead-coloured Drab ( Orthosia populeti) 1
2187 Common Quaker ( Orthosia cerasi) 67
2188 Clouded Drab ( Orthosia incerta) 19
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker ( Orthosia munda) 13
2190 Hebrew Character ( Orthosia gothica) 14
2243 Early Grey ( Xylocampa areola) 5
2258 Chestnut ( Conistra vaccinii) 12
2260 Dotted Chestnut ( Conistra rubiginea) 1
2423 Oak Nycteoline ( Nycteola revayana) 1 Moths in March
A good month for my garden. Mostly the usual species but had a first with a Red Swordgrass on 29th March. Also very unusual was a Pale Tussock on the 30th March which was so early that I got Robin Clatworthy to confirm it.
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