John - if your beetle has red-clubbed antennae, then it's N.humator.  I believe this is diagnostic, but I'm willing to be overruled by any passing coleopterists who know better !!  I've had these beasties in my traps in the past, and released them into my compost heap, whereupon they dug themselves in in very short order. Living up to their "burying beetle" tag.

I can't match some of the big catches reported lately but last night my Skinner 40W actinic trap yielded my best catch of the year so far - 1 Apple leaf Skeletoniser FFY (overwintered presumably), 1 White-shouldered House Moth (FFY),1 Twenty-plume Moth (FFY), male and female Bee Moths (FFY),1 Double-striped Pug, 1 Small Quaker, 9 Common Quaker, 2 Clouded Drab, 3 Hebrew Character and 6 Early Grey. I also got a large burying beetle which I think is Nicrophorus humator and an unidentified bee. It seemed to be very dark this morning and then I remembered that the clocks had gone forward - Doh!

I can't match some of the big catches reported lately but last night my Skinner 40W actinic trap yielded my best catch of the year so far - 1 Apple leaf Skeletoniser FFY (overwintered presumably), 1 White-shouldered House Moth (FFY),1 Twenty-plume Moth (FFY), male and female Bee Moths (FFY),1 Double-striped Pug, 1 Small Quaker, 9 Common Quaker, 2 Clouded Drab, 3 Hebrew Character and 6 Early Grey. I also got a large burying beetle which I think is Nicrophorus humator and an unidentified bee. It seemed to be very dark this morning and then I remembered that the clocks had gone forward - Doh!

A very good night for me too! Warm (min.8c) and an occasionally breezy; Agonopterix alostromeriana(1), Agonopterix arenella(1), and ?Agonopterix yeatiana(1), Common Plume(5), Diurnea fagella(3), March Moth(2), Double-striped Pug(1), H.Character(6), C.Quaker(14), Powdered Quaker(1), Small Quaker(3), Clouded Drab(7), Oak Beauty(2), FFG Dotted Chestnut(1), Early Grey(8), FFG Satellite(1), FFG Red Sword-grass(1), Early Thorn(2).

Sorry,even better last night,Paul! 183moths of 16species. 76Small Quaker and 29Common Quaker amongst others and 3 FFY Mottled Grey,Early Thorn and Water Carpet.

A three hour session with two MV traps in the Gordano Valley last night yielded 27 species, including one individual of Acleris umbrana.  Other notable FFY were Red Sword-grass, Water Carpet, Streamer, Early Tooth-striped, Red Chestnut, Brindled Pug and two striking individuals of Acleris cristana.  A daylight visit this afternoon by Paul Chapman also yielded Orange Underwing, some three weeks after they were first seen here this year.

Minimum 11°C overnight. Best trap of the year so far with 52 moths of 9 species. Good numbers of Early Grey, Common Quaker and Hebrew Character. Also Small Quaker, Clouded Drab, Early Thorn, March Moth and FFY Shoulder Stripe (2) and Double-striped Pug.

T Min 7.7°C. Best night of the year so far with 33 moths of 10 species: Common, Twin-spotted & Small Quaker, March Moth, Hebrew Character, Early Grey, Clouded Drab, Double-striped Pug, Chestnut and a female LBAM.

To whom it may concern - Happy Mothers' Day/Mothering Sunday. 

Only 5 moths last night (I think my locals have migrated to Pam's !!!) 2 Hebrew Characters, 1 Common Quaker, 1 Clouded Drab and 1 FFY Agonopterix heracliana.  Where are the rest ?

Out of a total of 118 moths 71were Small Quakers and 23Common Quakers. No trap last night.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 8 degrees

Heavy rain meant we had nothing at the window and only 18 moths of six species in the trap but these included one FFY a Brindled Pug.

Despite a cool night i had 88moths of 8species, including 47 Small Quaker and 16 Common Quaker. Also 3 Oak Beauty which are indeed beauties!

T min 3.6°C with some showers overnight. Six moths of three species: Double-striped Pug (1), Common Quaker (3) and Early Grey (2).

David Rolls, who is Moorland Education and Outreach Officer, Exmoor Moorland Landscape Partnership has asked me to publicise the Bogtastic event on 17th August and an informal moth night in the Simonsbath area on 20th May.

"Bogtastic is a fun packed Adventure Day for all ages, exploring the bogs and wetlands of Exmoor in and around Simonsbath. Last summer it was attended by over 200 people. Admission on the two sites, Blackpitts and Simonsbath, is free. This year we are looking to expand, making it bigger and better by adding new stalls, running a mini Bio blitz."

For more details contact David at DRolls@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 3 degrees

48 moths of 14 species including FFY a Powdered Quaker.

Again low numbers, 10 in total of 4 species (it's still very cold at night after all).  The only one worth noting was a Dotted Chestnut, only the second record here since 2010. Nice to know they're still around.

Dave Nevitt contacted my recently with a photo of Acleris umbrana trapped in his garden at Dundry Hill nr Bristol around the 16th March.

Acleris umbrana - Dundry (Dave Nevitt)

A shower or two in the late evening probably accounted for the low numbers (again).  5 Hebrew Characters, 2 Early Greys and 1 Clouded Drab - that's all folks, apart from 2 White-shouldered House-moths (Endrosis sarcitrella) in the rainwater butt (kamikazes I suspect)

Some of the leaf miners are emerging early too - Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae and Phyllonorycter harrisella the first of the year today.

Cool night with T min 5˚C, heavy rain showers. Hebrew character 10, Early Grey 1, Common Quaker 1, Clouded Drab 1, Agonopterix alstromeriana 1, plus an Early Bumblebee Bombus pratorum.

I had a good night on tuesday with 2 new species for me; Pale Pinion and a March Moth.  Also I was chuffed to see my 2nd Small Quaker this year (and 2nd ever!) as they seem a quite common moth (from the Somerset Atlas and from Pam's post ) and I was getting concerned I had been misidentifying them as C.Quakers, but was relieved to find they are reassuringly distinct! Also Diurnea fagella (2), C.Quaker (10), Hebrew Character (5), Clouded Drab (4), Early Grey (3).

Minimum of 9.7°C last night. With clear skies, followed by cloud and fresh winds, I didn't expect much. Not too bad a trap though, using green-light, with 16 moths of 7 species - 1 Agonopterix heracliana, 1 Early Thorn, 5 Common Quaker, 43 Hebrew Character, 1 Red Chestnut and 1 FFY Water Carpet (earliest record by 12 days).

T Min 8.6°C. 14 moths of five species: Oak Beauty (1, FFY), Hebrew Character (1), Early Grey (6), Common Quaker (3) and Agonopterix alstromeriana (3).

Despite being slightly warmer last night I caught less moths and less species than Friday night although I did use a 20W compact actinic last night and a 40W u-tube actinic on Friday so it might have had some effect.

Friday 5.7°C - 10 Common Quakers, 1 Clouded Drab, 2 Hebrew Character, 1 Early Grey and 3 Depresaria daucella.

Last night 7°C - 4 Common Quaker, 5 Clouded Drab and an Early Grey.

Not a lot of species richness so far.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - MIn Temp 9 degrees and very windy at dawn.

17 moths of eleven species including FFY Water Carpet and Pale Brindled Beauty.  The latter is late as we usually get it in February and before the Brindled Beauty which this year arrived on March 15.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - MIn Temp 9 degrees

21 moths of nine species including FFY a Mottled Grey, which I have not recorded here since 2000. At last after a week of trying to ID what I thought was a micro I realised I had caught an Oak Nycteoline - a mistake I have made before !

Yesterday i had 56 Common Quaker and 31Small Quaker and today 81 Common Quaker and 29 Small Quaker out of a total of 132moths of 10species One FFY Double Striped Pug.

A reasonable night's trapping. 34 moths of 6 species - 4 Hebrew Characters, 16 Common Quakers (highest ever count) , 1 Twin-spotted Quaker, 8 Early Greys (equal highest count), 2 Clouded Drabs and 3 Early Thorns.  Just waiting for a bit more variety!

Glad somebody out there is getting good catches. Only single Early Grey, Common Quaker, Agonopterix alstromeriana and Depressaria daucella in the garden trap this morning the latter being FFG.

Best collection yet for here this year, with 10 sps, FFYs- Early Thorn-1, Twin-spotted Quaker-1, Early Grey-1 and Diurnea fagella-1, and a FFG- Agon. yeatiana-1.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 9 degree

45 moths of eleven species including one FFY an Early Tooth-striped.

Despite a cold wind it was the best trap results of the year,with 58moths. 2ffy Twin-spotted Quaker and Early Grey. Did have 32 Common Quaker and 17 Small Quaker and 5other species.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 9 degrees

22 moths of 9 species including FFY - Brindled Beauty and Double-striped Pug.

My first trapping session for a week - I thought it was a bit too cold and windy for much to be about until last night.  16 moths came calling, 8 Hebrew Characters, 2 Clouded Drabs, 2 Small Quakers, and FFY singletons Common Quaker, Dotted Border, Early Grey and a very lively Depressaria daucella (did NOT want to be caught !!)

Another quietish night with the trap. Fifteeen moths of five species, FFY Early Thorn, Twin-spotted Quaker and Small Quaker (one of each) and Common Quaker (7), Early Grey (1), March Moth (1) and Hebrew Character (3).

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 9 degrees

Twenty moths of seven species including FFY an Early Thorn. Liz, I was interested to see your picture of the group of Herald moths as the man responsible for winding the clock in Dulverton church tower in December 1999 showed me a similar group on the way up the tower to the mechanism. There were also some hibernating Small Tortoiseshells !

T Min 7.3°C. Just a single Early Grey in the trap this morning.

Whilst checking to see if there were any hibernating Tortoishells left in the shed last week I came across about 10 Heralds, all in the darkest place in the shed - on the ceiling and joists where some sheets of board are suspended directly below, so a torch is needed to see them. Most of the ones I could see were in cosy pairs like these two. The only Tortoishell I could find is with them, the others possibly disturbed by the sun streaming in whenever the door was opened in the recent sunny period.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe = Min Temp 3 degrees

Thick mist this morning and only 15 moths of 7 species including FFY Twin-spotted Quaker

T Min was down to a chilly 2.1°C so was pretty pleased with Common Quaker (7), Hebrew Character (3) and single Early Thorn & Chestnut in/around the trap this morning. All four species were FFY.

A bit quieter in the trap last night. Seventeen moths of 3 species - Common Quaker (11), Hebrew Character (5) and Clouded Drab(1).

Put the trap out last night as the temperatures are forecast to drop during the week. The min. temp.was 5.2° C at 6am and I caught my highest total for the year so far. 12 Common Quaker, 1 Hebrew Character, 1 Double-striped Pug (FFY) and 1 Depressaria daucella.

Hi Sue

I'm not sure about the recommended replacement life of MV bulbs, but I'm still using only my second since 2007 !!  It appears to be still going strong, so I guess one uses them until they go pop, which is what happened to the first one.

Definitely warming up, 13 Common Quakers, 11 Hebrew Characters, 3 Clouded drabs, 1 March Moth and 1 Agon. heracliana. Can anyone tell me if MV bulbs should be replaced after a year's use?

After a warm day, I decided to run the trap last night despite the forecast for clear skies for most of the night. I was rewarded with 28 moths of 8 species - Early Grey (3), Hebrew Character (5), Common Quaker (13), Clouded Drab (3) a worn, indeterminate micro and no less than three firsts for the site, March Moth, Dotted Border and Red Chestnut. Garden list is now up to 397 so hopefully 400 will be attainable this year!

Hebrew Character 1 Clouded Drab 1 Common Quaker 6 Oak Beauty 1 Early Grey 1

Although the night started cool it warmed up a bit later - 10 Hebrew Character,1 Common Quaker, 2 Early Grey.

Today was very warm - a Peacock and 2 Brimstone butterflies (male and female) nectaring in the garden. Also a male Anthophora plumipes (solitary bee) and three species of Bumblebee - Bombus hypnorum, B. pratorum and B. terrestris.

Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni female nectaring on Lungwort.

Brimstone & Small Tortoiseshell on the wing this morning - oh Joy !!!

T Min down to 5.2°C. Two Clouded Drab and single Double-striped Pug & Diurnea fagella in/around the trap this morning - all FFY.

Double-striped Pug

Diurnea fagella

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 8 degrees.

Certainly more spring like. We had 29 moths of 12 species including FFY a Pale Pinion.

yes Paul…Spring has sprung..30 Common Quakers with 6 other species this morning!

3 Hebrew Characters were all there were in or near the traps this morning, after a much colder night than was forecast for here.  However, a Peacock butterfly was on the wing yesterday, so Spring must be close !!

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe- Min Temp 10 degrees

I was delighted to find in the trap last night FFY a Red Sword Grass and a Small Quaker.

Having seen a couple of moths out and about around 6.30 on my way out, I thought a bit of trapping might be worthwhile, so later in the evening (8pm) I put the traps out, more in hope than expectation, and was rewarded with a Clouded Drab & a Small Quaker, the first (trapped) moths of the year since 9th.January. Better late than never. I've not done any trapping since Jan.22nd, partly due to the weather, and partly due to some poor health. On the mend now, I hope !!

A minimum temp. of 2.3 during the night but up to 7.4 by early morning. Seven moths of four species - 1 Depressaria daucella (FFY), 1 Small Quaker (FFY), 4 Common Quaker and 1 Early Grey (FFY).

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 12 degrees

FFY Clouded Drab and Grey Shoulder Knot.

Despite the wind getting up overnight and blowing the trap over I still managed to break my 2014 duck with single Dotted Border & Twin-spotted Quaker.

First trap of the year last night, producing 5 Common Quakers, 2 Hebrew Characters and a single Agonopterix yeatiana, a first for the site.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - MIn Temp 8 degrees

The warmer weather made it the best night of this difficult year so far with 13 moths including FFY an Early Grey.

I trapped for the first time since 18th February last night and had an excellent return. 17 Common Quakers, 13 Hebrew Characters, 3 Clouded Drabs and singles of Satellite, Dark Chestnut, Pale Brindled Beauty and Dotted Chestnut. However the highlight were 2 Red Sword Grass. This is a moth I have never recorded before and are only the 2nd and 3rd records for ST41. I don't know what they were doing here. Perhaps they were fleeing the flooding on the levels.

Tried out the Wemlite again, Heb.Characters 10, Com.Quakers 6, March Moths 2, Clouded Drab 1, FFY Small Quaker 1, Agon.heracliana 2, Agon.Alstromeriana 2, and a nice surprise a FFG Acleris hastiana sitting on the outside of the trap this morning.

A bit warmer last night Min. 7.4°C. 3 Common Quaker, 2 Hebrew Character (FFY) and a tatty Dotted Border(FFY).

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 4 degrees

In Trap FFY - Hebrew Character (2) and a Shoulder Stripe.

Some moths about in spite of the frost, 3 Com.Quakers, 2 Heb.Char.,1 Clouded drab and FFY 2 March Moths.

Luckily not wet or too windy down here and I was very glad to get my first ever Early Moth. Also; Common Plume, Comon Quaker 7, Clouded Drab 2.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 8 degrees

Very windy and wet ! FFY Oak Beauty and Satellite in the trap and a March Moth at a lighted window.