The round-up produced a further 8 moths, total now 111, with 3 additional species. The only FFY was a Copper Underwing, very fresh and beautiful.

Managed to get the trap out a couple of times this weekend and was rewarded with 80 species including some that I have not seen here before such as Small Rivulet, Round-wing Muslin, Muslin Footman, Black Arches and Evergestis pallidata. Also had a Peppered Moth (f.carbonaria), Lunar-spotted Pinion, Herald and Drinker. As usual I had some micros, a Pug and also a Plume Moth that I could not identify. The Plume Moth may be Platyptilia ochrodactyla (1503) but not sure.

Numbers well down compared with 25th, a mere 103 of 25 species so far, plus a few escapees to be collected this evening.  A lot less effort I must say !! No FFY this time. although there is one micro yet to be identified - maybe interesting, we'll see.

Among the 95 species mentioned in my last posting were a fine Mocha (Cyclophora annularia) - not rare but quite beautiful - and a first for my garden, 1259 Cydia fagiglandana.

1676 The Mocha (Cyclophora annularia)

1259 Cydia fagiglandana.
Thanks to David Agassiz for confirming my ID of fagiglandana.

A Bit of a late posting, I haven't put the trap out for just under a month for a combination of reasons, but I managed to on the 27th - a great welcome back! 68 species of macros and micros (the few of the latter I could Identify), new for the year were: Brown China Mark, Buff Arches, Yellow Tail, Rosy Footman (16!), Uncertain, Light Brocade, Mother of the Pearl, Common Footman, Barred Straw, Dingy Footman, Snout, Small Fan Foot, Clay, Riband Wave, Swallow Tailed, Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing, Scarce Footman, Satin Beauty, Cloaked Carpet, Coronet, Dot Moth, Ruby Tiger, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Drinker, Dun Bar, Common Wainscot, Common Rustic Agg., Dagger Agg., Common Wave, Pale Shouldered Brocade, Elephant Hawk Moth, Small Yellow Wave, Small Phoenix and Thistle Ermine. I was also pleased to find a Lychnis Larva in a red campion seed head in the garden.

2173 The Lychnis - Larva

Smaller numbers with the cooler wet night- 25 species, FFY- Drinker, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow UW, Rosy Footman, Garden Tiger, Shaded Broad-bar and Chocolate-tip.

A friend in Taiwan has asked for specimens of Acentria ephemerella for DNA studies, also Cataclysta lemnata just one or two specimens, dry or in ethanol. As you know A. ephemerella die anyway after a few hours away from water. If anyone can help it will be much appreciated, I am in Weston but can collect.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11 degrees

With the cooler nights moth numbers are down from about 70 species a night to 30 however we had two FFY - Garden Tiger and Rosy Footman.

Several consecutive nights of good conditions meant many repeated late nights around Weston and with some good results. Just catching up with the gen dets now and with 7 hours peering through the microscope today the final results are starting to come through. Highlights so far have been Devonshire Wainscot, Shore Wainscot, Golden-rod Pug and Brussels Lace all on the same night. Micro's were well recorded too with highlights of Coleophora atriplicis, Batia lunaris, Phycitodes saxicola, Metzneria lappella and from the garden Caloptilia azaleella. At the last count the patch year list has risen dramatically to 347 (221 macros) still short for the time of year but a big improvement. The only good moth found by day was a small colony of Stenoptilia pterodactyla.

I can't compete for sheer numbers but I put the trap out last night and in addition to thousands of midges, gnats and caddis I had only 265 moths, but of 95 species; the best for three years.

FFY included Marbled Beauty, Marbled Green (5 of these), Poplar Grey, Double-lobed, Tawny-barred Angle, White-spotted Pug, Donacaula forficella and Agriphila geniculea.

Four FFY butterflies in our field this afternoon - Green-veined White (much later than usual first sighting, so maybe I missed the first brood), Small Skipper (first for several years), Marbled White, and Gatekeeper.

A further 65 moths scattered around the "moth room" trying to escape through the sky-light, taking the total catch to 466, with an additional 3 species.  FFY was a Cloaked Minor. I'm taking a couple of days off now to recover, and hoping for cooler weather.

It's not just the C.culmella, Jane ("only" 57 this time) but the Common Footmen (59), Ringed China-marks (47) and those tiny A.ephemerella (59) !!!  Interesting that the last two species both have pondweeds as their larval food-plants. My ponds must be in a very healthy state to produce these numbers - surprising that the dragonfly larvae haven't eaten them.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 16 degrees

Another bumper night with over 200 moths and over 70 species. FFY Marbled Green, Narrow Winged Pug, Clay Triple-lines, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Ruby Tiger (second brood) and Sycamore. Also several micros including C. falsella.

I had 72 identified species last night but only 200+ moths as I gave up counting Chrysoteuchia culmella and the like after a bit.  I enjoyed getting familiar with further micros: Catoptria falsella; Batia lunalis (so tiny but distinct); Crambus pascuella to add to the usual Endotricha, Tachystola, diamond-backed, Catoptria pinella, and Acleris forskaleana.  And 36 True lover's knots..is that usual?  But, as Paul comments, this takes ages doesn't it and therefore deciding how often to put out the trap depends on what other calls there are on one's time....fun though.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 16 degrees

A full trap with 217 moths of 70 species. FFY - Beautiful Carpet, and many micros including Timothy Tortrix, O. Glaucinalis, Brown China-mark and Orchard Ermine.

Phew - it took me over 3 hours to sort out & identify last night's catch - 401 moths of 65 species so far. I'm shattered !!  The 13 FFY were Miller (first record here since 2006), Lesser Yellow Underwing, Yellow-tail, Marbled Green, Marbled Beauty, Mother-of-Pearl, Agriphela tristella, Euzophera pinguis. Chilo phragmitella, White Plume, Acleris forsskaleana, & Cydia pomonella, plus 59 Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella), all male, all dead.  These little moths I understand emerge from ponds and swarm, sometimes in huge numbers (I had well over 200 in one night a few years ago), leaving the females at the water's surface where they mate.  Goater states that the females only occasionally fly, and can be taken at light, but mostly have only rudimentary wings. Their lifespan is only 1 - 2 days. Not much of a life, is it ? A bit like your average mayfly.

There were also hundreds of small winged beasties, especially in the MV trap, which are well beyond my abilities to identify, and dozens of Small Water Boatmen/Backswimmers, again mostly dead. I feel a bit guilty being responsible for such buggicide.

There will as usual be a lot more in the evening round-up of escapees, so the total could approach 500 - we'll see.

We are starting to catch better numbers now. Last night saw 53 species to my garden MV.  New to me was 0389 Choreutis pariana (Apple Leaf Skeletoniser). FFYs include Coronet, Rosy Footman, True Lover's Knot, 1294 Crambus pascuella, 1036 Acleris forsskaleana, Thistle ermine, Small Scallop,Dingy Footman. The only immigrants were 2 Plutella xylostella.

A good night, 123 moths of 40 species. FFY include Eyed Hawkmoth, Small Emerald, July Highflyer,Lackey, Treble Bar, Barred Straw. Also 2 new ones for the garden - Grey Pine Carpet and this one which had me guessing, an Archer's Dart. Thanks to John Bebbington for confirming the id.

46 moths of 23 species with Yellow Shell, Clay and Pammene fasciana FFY

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11 degrees

FFY Drinker, Broad-bordered Yellow underwing, Single-dotted Wave, Dwarf Cream Wave, and the dark form of the Coronet, ab.coronula. Also the White Plume moth.

Although the garden always returns small numbers there is always something different in the trap ,Just 20 moths of 15 species including FFY of Small Rivulet, Brussels Lace,plus Single dotted Wave and Gothic plus Micro,s (which I am Working on )

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 13 degrees

After a miserable GMS night on Friday with with only 36 moths of 15 species things looked up with 124 moths of 44 species.  8 Buff Tip was unusual here while FFY July Highflyer, Dingy Footman, and the micros included Mother 0f Pearl, P.coronata, C.pinella and a new for the site P.roborella.

51 moths of 17 species with Common Footman, Early Thorn, July Highflyer, Muslin Footman, Marbled Beauty and Anania coronata all FFY.

Numbers back down with a bump.  Only 43 moths, of 20 species - most likely due to a chilly wind blowing around the nether regions of the garden.  There were only 4 C. culmella compared with 65 three nights ago. There were however FFY Small Emerald (first record here since 2008) and Magpie.  Also spotted (pun intended) a 6-spot Burnet in the field yesterday - first record for this site.

Two reasonable nights 16th and 18th, 35 Macro sps and 11 Micros, FFY -Barred Yellow, Double Square-spot, July High Flyer, Common Emerald, Orange Footman, Buff Footman, Blue-bordered Carpet, Poplar Grey, Coronet, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Grey Tortrix, Holly Tortrix, Euzophera pinguis, Crassa unitella and probable Acleris urbana awaiting verification.

The last couple of nights haven't been that productive in the trap for me but there has been some variety nectaring in the garden on Buddleia and Privet. Last night a Coronet, Silver Y and for the second year running in the garden a Small Ranunculus visited the Buddleia. Others nectaring in recent days have included Early Thorn, Yellow Shell, Uncertain, Rustic, Common Pug, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing and Gothic.

Yes, Paul, Small Magpies really are that common !!  Hardly surprising though, as the main catepillar food-plant is nettles.  Good luck with the micros - you'll need it - a lifetime's study awaits. (I've only started to scratch the surface quite recently).

Best night for a long time ,over a 100 moths (pretty good for here) of 35 plus species including FFY of Lackey Barred Straw, Blood Vein Pale Mottled Willow and Mother of Pearl . Also in the trap were 10 Small Magpie (are they really that common) Memo to myself must start getting serious about micro,s

42 moths of 23 species with Coronet, Small Yellow Wave, Cloaked Minor, Small Magpie, Phycitodes binaevella and Cydia splendana all FFY.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe Min Temp ? Garden thermometer broke !

114 moths of 43 species. FFY - Sharp-angled Carpet, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Under-wing (Paul - for simplicity I record it as janthe !) and P.despicata.

Quite a good night, the first time I've trapped for over a week due to the moist nature of the environment. So far 193 moths (of which 52 were C. culmella) & 44 species, including FFY Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (this has to be the longest name of any moth, surely - tires me out just typing it), Small Blood-vein, Clay, Lackey, and Large Tabby (first record at this site). There will be more to come after the evening round-up, as usual.

Round-up results - a further 31 moths (13 more C.culmella), with 8 additional species, including FFY - Pandemis cerasana, Single-dotted Wave, Celypha striana and Gold Triangle. One micro to be confirmed.

19/7/12 a.m.  Micro confirmed as Aethes cnicana - new species for me.

Over 200 moths of 71 species identified (with more micros to work on) last night - far and away the best night of the year so far. Only macro ffy was Yellowtail. Several ffy micros including the Pyralids Euzophera pinguis, Rush Veneer Nomophila noctuella and Onchocera semirubella.

Saturday night wasn't bad 173 moths of 38 species, FFY Lackey, Light Emerald, Scarce and Dingy Footmen, Lobster, Small Rivulet and 0420 Argyresthia pruniella, Eudonia mercurella, still a couple of micro UFOs to identify.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11 degrees

FFY Common Emerald, Small Dotted Buff, True Lover's Knot and P (or G ?) pallidactyla. John - in Bradley 2000 Gillmeria is shown as a subgenus.

Trapping over the last few nights has produced very little of interest apart from ffy Buff Arches. The Brussels Lace eggs have all hatched and larvae are feeding on lichen on twigs. Their mouthparts are very large for their size, presumably because their food is tough!

First instar larva of Brussels Lace Cleorodes lichenaria (approx 2mm long).

A new moth for the garden this weekend. Bryotropha domestica in the trap Saturday morning.

Bryotropha Domestica

60 moths of 26 species here at Milverton including FFY of Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing Early Thorn and U prunalis, numbers of Heart / Dart , L Y Underwing, Buff Ermine and 3 Swallowtail .

New Group member Peter Shirley has sent me these images - specially for you, Paul! Over 40 larvae on the plants.

Mullein plants with Mullein Moth larvae


Mullein Moth larvae

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 12 degrees and wet !

Best night for some time with 101 moths of 44 species including FFY - Dot Moth, Scalloped Oak, Small Fan-footed Wave, C.quercana and E.delunella

A disappointing night with only 17 moths of 11 species; a Drinker was FFY.

No moths to report - rain stopped play - but FFY Ringlet & Comma butterflies in yesterday's welcome burst of sunlight. Also found a solitary Mullein Moth caterpillar on (believe it or not) Mullein.

Probably the wrong place for it, but .... I have submitted my records to National Moth Night... I am asuming that you do not want them (to avoid the risk of diplicating the records), but there is an option after you have submitted your results on their website to export to Mapmate. Are we meant to do that?

Some lovely moths you've all been having :)

Thank you for your help

I took a Yarrow Plume (1504 Platyptilia pallidactyla - named as Gillmeria pallidactyla in Sterling & Parsons) in my trap last night - my 500th sppecies since May 2006 and a new record for 10km square ST42.

According to Sterling & Parsons the characters which separate it from the Tansy Plume P. ochrodactyla are the labial palps which project beyond a tuft of hairs on the head and the tibia between the spurs which is uniformly brownish or greyish.

1504 Yarrow Plume Moth Platyptilia pallidactyla

Head detail showing protruding labial palps

Hind leg between spurs is uniform in colour.

Geof Hiscocks has just sent me this image of a Currant Clearwing from his garden.

373 Currant Clearwing Synanthedon tipuliformis ©Geoff Hiscocks

In case anyone is interested I will be giving a talk and signing copies of my book on insect photography at Brendon Books, Bath Place, Taunton on Tuesday 14th August at 7pm.

After the round-up another 22 moths, making 223 in total.  Species total now 56 (earlier total didn't include the Actinic trap species - oops), with more FFY - Hedya pruniana, Clouded Border, and Eudonia lacustrata. Well worth the effort.

Best night of the year in the garden by a mile, 66 species and still counting, well over 200 moths. Lots of firsts both for garden and year including, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Clouded Border, Clouded Silver, Swallowtail, Magpie, Beautiful Hook-tip, Small Yellow Wave, Small Fan-foot, Riband and Common Waves, Lilac Beauty, Scorched Wing, Brussels Lace, Clouded Brindle, Buff Arches, Short-cloaked moth, Straw Dot, Small Fan Foot, Plain Golden Y, Ringed China-mark, Small China-mark, 20 Plume Moth, Eucosmia cana, Red Barred Tortrix, Variegated Golden Tortrix. Several still to identify. Certainly kept me busy today.

My first opportunity to visit and trap for moths since late May. A good number of moths and 46 species with a few micros yet to be identified. Apart from the more common species there were several that I only see perhaps once or twice a year - partly due to doing most of my 'mothing' in Middlesex ! These included Light Arches, Buff-tip, Double Square-spot, Barred Straw, Ghost Moth (female), Drinker (male), Beautiful Hook-tip, Sharp-angled Peacock and Ruddy Carpet - this moth is probably a first for me ! I am hoping to trap again tonight so maybe there will be a few more 'new' species to come.

p.s.  Ufo now identified as Eucosma cana - also a FFY, as one might expect.  Thanks to John B. for identification.

Much better - the warm (and DRY !! ) night with a reduced amount of moonlight was enough to bring out 200 moths of 34 species. Nothing special, but there were a few FFY, namely Buff Arches, Short-cloaked Moth, Drinker, Small Fan-footed Wave, Common Emerald, Small China-mark, Catoptria pinella and Emmelina monodactyla.

There is also one micro to be confirmed in due course, and the usual bunch of escapees to be rounded up this evening. Watch this space.

My best night so far with 63 moths of 32 species. FFY: Riband Wave, Small Blood-vein, Small Fan-footed Wave, Green Pug, Barred Straw and Mottled Rustic. Also Acleris kochiella and a female Paraponyx stratiotata.

Just found a fresh Swallow-tailed Moth on the inside wall of our downstairs cloakroom, so I did get a FFY after all !!

Several Silver Ys nectaring on white clover in the field, and lots of Meadow Browns as well, but as yet no Ringlets.

Encouraged by the Striped Hawk-moth reports I tried on Brean last night but the temperatures plummeted to 9.5C with the wind chill and with it came a significant drop in arrivals. In 80 minutes I trapped 19 Silver Y and The Suspected, a moth that hasn't been recorded in the Weston area for over 22 years.

2268 The Suspected Parastichtis suspecta

Definitely back to the bad old days - a mere 25 moths of 12 species.  Nothing of note, and no FFY - with nights like this I begin to doubt my wisdom in even trying. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose, as they say.

I disturbed a specimen of 1421 Aglossa pinguinalis (Large Tabby) in the kitchen this afternoon. It probably escaped as I was emptying the trap yesterday morning. According to this website it is Occasional & Local in Somerset although I note that it has been recorded in this (ST22C) and an adjacent tetrad in recent years.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 15 degrees and rain

41 species and three FFY - Clay, Pinion-streaked Snout and a Square-spot Rustic which Mapmate regards as early.

I put my trap out last night because of the two Striped Hawkmoths reported yesterday. Rain, wind - and 12 assorted Hawkmoths; 2 Poplar, 2 Eyed, 2 Elephant, 5 Small Elephant and one Striped. There must be a lot of Striped around although nothing from Portland in the last couple of days.

I'll try to photograph my specimen before release this evening but it's very twitchy at the moment!

One photograph and it was gone!

Striped Hawk-moth Hyles livornica male, Langport 3 July 2012

Nothing as exciting as a Striped Hawkmoth here, although there are plenty of Silver Y nectaring on our Red Valerian each evening. I must get out the red torch and look on a large Valerian patch just down the road!

I did take a new species for the garden - my 499th - the other evening, Aethes beatricella (thanks to David Agassiz for confirmation). There is a good stand of its foodplant, Hemlock, on the road verge opposite our house.

Aethes beatricella on young Hemlock fruits

Back in 2009 David Agassiz kindly found two larvae of the Brussels Lace Cleorodes lichenaria for me. Last week I had a female in the trap and gave her some lichen-covered twigs, on which she laid some eggs.

Eggs of Brussels Lace Cleorodes lichenaria

The challenge now will be to bring them through!

Col. Peter Smith reports another Striped Hawk-moth, this one from Wells (VC6).

54 moths of 22 species last night which, judging by my previous efforts, seems to be a good catch for this neck of the woods. Species caught included Large Nutmeg and Scallop Shell (apologies for the quality of the photos, just record shots really; at least I think it is a Large Nutmeg, please let me know if I am wrong!), Poplar Hawkmoth, Clouded Silver, Light Arches, Swallow-tailed Moth, Common/Lesser Common Rustic and Dark/Grey Dagger.

What a suprise to have a quick peep into the trap and see a striped hawkmoth :D Shows promise for the rest of the trap :)

What a suprise to have a quick peep into the trap and see a striped hawkmoth :D Shows promise for the rest of the trap :)

Numbers going down again - "only" 56 moths of 25 species, including FFY Rustic, Double Square-spot, Cabbage Moth and a "to be confirmed" Pug.  Presumably the reduction was due in part to the rain later in the night, or the nearly full moon, bats, or something else - who knows ?  I certainly don't. Mind you, a couple of weeks ago, I'd have been thrilled to get this many - how times change.

A couple of micros from Paul Newman's trap last week:
Eudonia mercurella

Lozotaenioides formosanus

Now finished the list after 2 nights trapping at Brean during the mid-week warm spell last week. The intention was to intercept some migrants during the Saharan dust drop but only the regular migrant species came in. Just 20+ Silver Y, 2 Dark Sword-grass, 2 Diamond-back Moth and a Rusty Dot Pearl. In all 109 species came to the light (80 macros) with perhaps the more noteworthy being Campion, Lilac Beauty, Antler, Gold Spot, Thyme Pug and Blomer's Rivulet. From the micro's highlights for me were Catoptria pinella, Epinotia abbreviana (gen det), Acleris aspersana and Argyresthia pruniella (gen det).

My last trapping prior to a fortnight away was fairly typical for the year. About half the number of moths I would have expected in a normal season with the only firsts being Clay and Broad -barred White. I hope that by the time I am next trapping the weather would have improved and the moths will be flying in numbers again!