A further 9 moths, and 3 more species - totals now 48 of 27. No more FFY

Spent an enjoyable couple of hours at Buckland Wood this afternoon showing Lucy Morton of BC around the site. Silver Y, Silver-ground Carpet, Marbled White Spot, Burnet Companion, Cinnabar, Pryausta purpuralis, Celypha lacunana, Micropterix calthella, Epiblema cynosbatella and Small Eggar, Drinker & Six-spot Burnet larvae. And non-Lepidopterous things included Slow Worm, Grass Snake, Adder & Common Lizard.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 9.5 degrees.

64 moths of 25 species including FFY - Dark Arches and a Double Line which I always regard as a West Somerset special, not to be confused with the Treble Lines which is having a good year. We had 14 in the trap last night.

Similar numbers to last time, 39 so far (plus escapees to be rounded up this evening) but a much wider variety - 24 species.  Eleven of these were FFY - Common Wainscot, Udea olivalis, Rush Veneer, Snout, Peppered Moth, Celypha lacunana, Diamond-back Moth, Common Marbled Carpet, Garden Carpet, Common Carpet, and Spruce Carpet (only the third record here and the first since 2009).

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe. Min Temp 11.2 degrees

80moths of 40 species including FFY - May High -Flyer, Broom Moth, Yellow-barred Brindle (2),Uncertain, Mottled and Oak tree Pug, Small Fan-foot.

A few micros found in the Bishop's Hull area today including: Nettle-tap, 1076 Celypha lacunana, 652 Alabonia geoffrella and I think this is 1097 Endothenia gentianaeana but please let me know if you think it is one of the other Endothenia species.

1097 Endothenia gentianaeana

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 26 May 11.3 degrees

98 moths of 42 species including FFY - Poplar kitten, SS Wainscot, Bee Moth, Clouded Border, Lobster Moth, Common Wave and Common White Wave, Dusky Brocade, Straw Dot.

27 May Min Temp 9.6 degrees

99 moths of 40 species including FFY - Beautiful Golden Y (2), Small Angle Shades, Maidens Blush, and a Large Yellow Underwing, no doubt the first of many.

Best night of the year so far, 41 moths of 17 species.  Several FFY - Burnished Brass, Scorched Wing, Dusky Brocade, Flame, & Grey Tortrix agg.

Much better last night, with 60 moths of 27 species, incl. FFY Small Magpie, Lunar Thorn, Clouded Silver & Oak-tree Pug. Plus a couple of Minors.

The planned moth trapping on at Staple Common on Saturday 31st has been changed to Young Wood on FRIDAY 30th. Met at the Greyhound car park, Staple Fitzpaine at 19.45.

Hi Sue, If I had that in my trap I'd certainly be calling it Cyclamen Tortrix. Cheers, Nigel

Not the predicted washout, a warm still wet night brought the moths out at last. At 11pm there was a cloud of Orange Footmen round the MV, but only 6 ended up in the trap. In total 73 moths of 24 sps, lots of FFYs, Peppered, Iron Prominent, Figure of 80, Grey Pine Carpet, Clouded Silver, Light Brocade, Notocelia cynosbatella, Crambus lathoniellus, and two FFG, Least Black Arches-2 and a Cyclamen Tortrix (please can someone confirm) egg box pic only-it took off as I was reaching for pot and in somewhere in greenhouse!

Following on from Nigels post - with mine and Robin's added in. Robin had some interesting moths such as Lead Belle and Broom Moth but thought the lack of moths such as Little Thorn was due to the coldish conditions and torrential rain that had fortunately stopped before we arrived!

986 Syndemis musculana - 1
Map-winged Swift – 1
Pebble Hook-tip – 1
Silver-ground Carpet – 18
Lead Belle – 8
Small Phoenix – 9
Common Marbled Carpet – 20
Grey Pine Carpet – 11
Spruce Carpet – 18
Common Pug – 1
Twin-spot Carpet – 1
Oak-tree Pug – 1
Larch Pug – 2
Dwarf Pug – 24
Clouded Silver – 1
Brown Silver-line – 17
Barred Umber – 2
Scorched Wing – 2
Early Thorn – 2
Scalloped Hazel – 24
Poplar Hawk-moth – 1
Peppered Moth – 2
Mottled Beauty -= 1
Engrailed – 10
White-pinion Spotted – 1
Great Prominent – 5
Coxcomb Prominent – 3
Pale Tussock – 3
White Ermine – 9
Buff Ermine- 1
Orange Footman – 1
Least Black Arches – 1
Broom Moth – 2
Flame Shoulder – 11
True Lover's Knot - 1
Pale-shouldered Brocade – 1
Knot Grass – 1
Treble Lines – 1
Green Silver-lines – 1

An undistinguished night..28 moths of 8 sps, 13 of which were Small Square Spot, one FFY- Spectacle. Tonight looks like a washout too, roll on June.

Only one moth - a Shuttle-shaped Dart - quite a change from the 45 moths of 22 species here on the 21st, which included loads of Scalloped Hazel as well as the first Broad-barred White and Poplar Grey I have seen.  There are a lot of Shuttle-shaped Darts coming to the trap here this year.

Hi Ian,

I like to return the larvae to the grassland edge as it seems a shame for any that have grown to this sort of size to get trodden on.  Presumably they indulge in the silly behaviour as they are looking for somewhere to pupate - do we know what sort of locations they might be looking for?

Just back from a walk round Westbury Beacon and Stoke Camp.  Good numbers of Burnet Companions and Mother Shiptons joining in the games of chase with the butterflies, and one of the rarer Pyraustinae on the field between the two sites - I've yet to determine from the photos if it was cingulata or nigrata.

A rather chilly night, and only 15 moths in total of 11 species, including Poplar & Elephant Hawks, and FFY Angle Shades, Setaceous Hebrew Character and Notocelia (still on MapMate as Epiblema) cynosbatella.

Just 16 moths of 10 species. Dark Arches and Willow Beauty both FFY, Common Marbled Carpet, Heart & Dart, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Brimstone, Treble Lines, Common Quaker, Lime-speck Pug & LBAM.

Chris. I was walking along the coast path from Swanage to Chapman's Pool today and saw dozens of mainly squashed Drinker Moth caterpillars. I also saw a single Lackey caterpillar which had avoided the boots as well as at least 10 Painted Ladies.

Loads of Drinker Moth larvae on the Levels today - I don't remember coming across more than one a day before, and today I found six (and a Lackey larva for good measure).  Is anyone else finding that they are having a good year?

Robin, Liz & I trapped at Rams Combe on the Quantocks on Friday night. I had 86 moths of 23 species including an early Mottled Beauty, Barred Umber, Scorched Wing, Dwarf & Larch Pug, Grey Pine & Spruce Carpets, Engrailed, Peppered Moth etc. but very few Noctuids and only one micro Syndemis musculana.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 9.8 degrees

38 moths of 17 species including FFY - Purple Bar and Ingrailed Clay.

I still can't seem to attract many moths - only 10 last night, with just one FFY - an Elephant Hawkmoth.

Trapped with our local moth group on Thursday night at a new garden location in Widcombe Hill, Bath.  The garden was a large mature garden with plenty of native and non-native trees and shrubs.  Expectations weren't too high because heavy rain was forecast but despite this we had over 200 moths and 50+ species in two traps, a 125v MV and a 15w Actinic. Highlights included Lobster Moth, Broken-barred Carpet, White-spotted Pug, Seraphim, White-pinion Spotted, Green Silver-lines, Small Pheonix, Pebble Prominent and our first Pale Tussock.

A bit indifferent here last but could have been worse considering the rain! 21 moths of 15 species. FFY was a nice Mullein Moth. This was interesting because we had some Mullein caterpillars in the garden last June, munching on our miniature Buddleias (but had never recorded an adult). My wife relocated them some 100 metres away to some big Buddleias. Perhaps yesterday's adult was one of them! Also of note was a reddish-brown phase Clouded-bordered Brindle.

Better than expected with 61 moths of 24 sps, several more FFYs, Grey/Dark Dagger, Scorched Wing, Lime HM, Common Swift, Shears, Small Clouded Brindle, Flame, Coxcomb Prominent, Plutella porrectella and Bactra lancealana.

Still low numbers here, but in spite of a fair bit of rain, better than 2 nights ago !!  13 moths in total, but only 7 species.  FFY were Heart & Dart and Common Swift (3).

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 10.2 degrees and heavy showers.

79 moths of 40 species including FFY - Figure of Eighty, Small Magpie, Rivulet, Peach Blossom, Clouded Silver and White Pinion Spotted. Ian, I agree that Alder is having a good season. We had four in the trap last night.

Best night so far with 60 moths of 27 species. A FFG, Pseudoargyrotoza conwagana, lots of FFYs Orange Footmen, Burnished Brass, Poplar HM, Cabbage, Set.Heb.Ch, Silver-ground, Green & Common Marbled Carpets, Ghost Moth, Diamond-back, Udea prunalis, Celypha lacunana and LBAM.

Norton Sub Hamdon

First triple figure count of the year with 121 macros from 48 species.  9 firsts for year brought the total so far to over 100. This has been reached a few days earlier than normal. Last year , however, I did not reach 100 species until 17th June.
Alder Moths seem to be having a good season. I normally only record 1 or 2 a year here and some years I don't see it at all. I've only twice had more than one in the trap before this year. Last night I recorded 6 bringing the total for the year so far to 11.

I was a bit West of Nigel wandering round Coombe Hill wood and down. 3 Silver Ys, Burnet Companion, Cinnabar there too and a 1174 Notocelia cynosbatella seen

My turn to walk the Gilling Down transect today after which I had a wander around Great Breach Wood. Two Small Yellow Underwing on Gilling Down. Burnet Companion, Cinnabar, White-pinion Spotted and several Silver Y also seen.

Small Yellow Underwing

Trapped down the road at Netherclay until 01:15h this morning. 67 moths of 21 species incl. Eyed Hawkmoth, Small Square-spot, Clouded Silver, Common Wave, Peppered Moth, Bright-line Brown-eye, Rustic Shoulder-knot & Clouded-bordered Brindle.

Clouded-bordered Brindle f. combusta

A couple of us trapped on the Mendips on 17th recording 46 species including: Fox Moth, Broom Moth, Dwarf Pug, Ochreous Pug, Diamond-back Moth and Epinotia tedella. We also found the larva of Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet and Smoky Wainscot.

Broom Moth

Not such a good night, with only 16 moths of 10 species. FFY was an Ingrailed Clay

Only 7 moths last night, including FFY Middle-barred Minor.  This morning I found 1 Eudonia angustea in the kitchen, also a FFY as it happens.

Below are the events for May and June;

May 23rd Ramscombe (Quantock Hills) Ranscombe Car Park ST165377(Car Park) (19.45hrs)

May 30th Young Wood (Blackdown Hills) Meet at Staple Fitz Paine ' the Greyhound' carpark at 19.45
June 7th Shapwick Heath (Somerset Levels) Avalon Marsh Centre Car Park ST425414 (20.15hrs)

June 14th Mount Fancy – Wessex Waterland (Blackdowns) Mount Fancy Farm ST252162 (20.30hrs)

June 21st Haddon Hill (Exmoor) Reserve Gate (N. side of B3190) SS978286 (20.30hrs)

June 27th Cheddington Wood (Dorset/Somerset border) Wood Gate, Holt Lane (E. of Golf Course off A356) ST487067 (20.15hrs)

Had to re- locate to Castle Plantation after they changed the locks at Young Wood! Present were Mike Ridge, Robin Clatworthy, Nigel Cottle, Liz Marsden. Nut-tree Tussocks were out in force and it was good to see moth like the Marbled Brown and Barred Hook-tip that I 'd be very unlikely to see in my area.

Barred Hook-tip……16
Pebble Hook-tip…...2
Mocha…………………. 1
Flame Carpet ........ 4
Red Twin-spot Carpet……..2
Silver-ground Carpet………1
Garden Carpet……………..1
Water Carpet…………….…1
Small Phoenix…………….25
Common Marbled Carpet…3
Grey Pine Carpet…………..1
Spruce Carpet………………1
Green Carpet……………….7
May Highflyer……………….1
Foxglove Pug……………….2
Mottled Pug…………………2
Common Pug……………….5
Larch Pug……………………1
Dwarf Pug…………………...3
Yellow-barred Brindle………1
Scorched Carpet…………...1
Tawny-barred Angle…….…4
Brown Silver-line………….17
Barred Umber………….…..2
Brimstone Moth…….…….12
Scalloped Hazel…............21
Brindled Beauty……………2
Peppered Moth………….…2
Waved Umber……………..7
Common White Wave…….1
White-pinion Spotted…...…4
Clouded Silver………….....1
Poplar Hawkmoth….……...1
Sallow Kitten………….……1
Pebble Prominent……..….3
Great Prominent……….….4
Coxcomb Prominent…....14
Pale Prominent………..….1
Marbled Brown…………..28
Pale Tussock…….……….9
Orange Footman……..…23
Least Black Arches………5
Flame Shoulder…………..3
Small Square-spot……….1
Common Quaker…………1
Pale-shouldered Brocade.2
Pine Beauty ………………1
Hebrew Character………12
Knot Grass……………..…1
Angle Shades………….…1
Clouded-bordered Brindle.1
Knot Grass……………..…1
Green Silver-lines………..2
Nut-tree Tussock…….…57
Spectacle………………….1

Capua vulgana (1007)…….……1 Syndemis musculana (986)……1

Norton Sub Hamdon
Easily the best night of the year last night with 89 macros of 48 different species. Most numerous was Treble Lines with 11. Firsts for the year were Yellow Barred Brindle, Riband Wave, Scorched Wing, Brown Silver Lines, Flame Carpet, Buff Ermine, Poplar Grey, Common Swift, Small Square Spot, Common Wainscot, Pale Mottled Willow, Poplar Kitten, Mottled Pug, Light Emerald and Gold Spot. I also had 2 migrants for the first time this year with a Silver Y and a Dark Sword Grass.

Thanks for your thoughts, Paul. It's probably the most likely.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 12.6 degrees

30 species including FFY - Elephant Hawk-moth, Marbled Brown, Alder, Heart and Dart, Green Carpet, Silver Y, Scorched Wing and Middle-barred Minor.

I think you're right Rob, going by the remaining dark marks and the feathered antenna I would say it was a Brindled Beauty.

The best night for a fair while with 26 moths of 15 species including FFG: Lesser Swallow Prominent and Pseudargyrotoza conwagana and FFY: Bee Moth, Tachystola acroxantha, Mottled Pug, Common Swift, Iron Prominent, Knot Grass & Marbled Minor agg.

1011 Pseudargyrotoza conwagana

Another reasonable night's trapping, with 45 moths of 28 species. FFY were Agonopterix arenella, Small Phoenix, Currant Pug, Small White Wave, Waved Umber, Iron Prominent, Buff Ermine, Small Square Spot, Vine's Rustic and The Spectacle. I'm attaching a photo of a rather worn, large, moth (30mm+ span) - does anyone have any ideas on it? I wondered if it was a very worn Beauty sp.

Just found a FFY Small Magpie in the greenhouse - not sure what it was looking for, as I don't grow any of its larval foodplants in there.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe -Min Temp 11.9 degrees

Easily the best night of the year so far with 60 moths of 29 species including FFY - Eyed Hawk-moth, Iron Prominent, Spruce Carpet, Lychnis, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Treble Lines, Sharp-angled Peacock and a Puss Moth.

Exciting times - 17 moths of 13 species, of which no fewer than 8 were FFY. These were Treble LInes(2), Lime Hawk, Pale Tussock (the first since 2011), Spectacle, Silver-ground Carpet(2), Clouded Silver, Knot Grass. & Buff Ermine.

Chris, I think it might be Clouded-bordered Brindle; trapped a couple of these at Castle Neroche last night. cheers, Nigel

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 degrees

26 moths of 19 species including FFY - Coronet (3), Flame, Marbled Minor, Orange Footman and Barred Umber.

Best night of the year so far, with 5 Shuttle-shaped Darts, 2 Waved Umber, Brimstone Moth & Spruce Carpet, 1 Flame Shoulder, 1 Bee Moth, and this noctuid I am struggling to put a name to - Reddish Light Arches is the nearest match.  Can anyone help with it?

Members are welcome to join a field meeting, together with some from the Bristol group, we will meet at 11.00am the Doverhay Car Park (see: http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/Transport---Streets/Car-Parks---Parking/Car-Park-Maps/Doverhay-Car-Park ) which is on the left as you enter Porlock on the A39.  It is then a short walk to the S. grandis site. It is recommended that attendees bring a packed lunch as there will be the option to move on to one of the nearby moorland sites to search for dayflying moths and larvae (particularly specialists on bilberry).  It would be really useful to know who will be attending (weather permitting) so please let me know if you are intending to be the there.

We found 2 Six-spot Burnet larvae in our young woodland this afternoon - on the stems of Common Sorrel and Meadow Buttercup, presumably about to pupate.  As this area was under water in the Winter, it's good to know that these two at least have survived.

Excellent night last night with 48 moths of 25 species. 12 FFY were Flame Carpet, Mocha, Garden Carpet, Foxglove Pug, White-spotted Pug, Poplar Hawk-Moth, Peppered Moth, Grey Dagger sp., Heart & Dart, Treble Lines, Clouded-bordered Brindle and Least Black Arches. Nice to get the first Hawk-Moth of the year. Also had fun with 19 Cockchafers, clambering everywhere!

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.

A much better night with 28 moths of 19 species including FFY - Buff Ermine, Common Pug, Poplar Grey and LBAM. At 5am when I went out to bring in the trap the actinic light in the window had attracted a Chocolate Tip and a Brown Silver-line.  A few minutes later a Robin had had both!

17 moths of 11 species including FFY's Heart & Dart, Least Black Arches and Lime-speck Pug.

Back to single figures again - only 9 moths, but what a pretty bunch !  2 each Muslin Moth & White Ermine, and singletons Poplar Hawk, Waved Umber, Hebrew Character, FFY Garden Pebble and what I first thought was a very early yellow form of Dingy Footman, but after a careful check proved to be an Orange Footman, a first record here.  Nice one.

The evening round-up of strays proved quite profitable - I thought there had been only one micro escapee, but it turned out that there were 4 altogether. (My eyesight must be worse than I thought !). Singletons of Light Brown Apple Moth, Brown House Moth, and FFYs Common Pug and Small Square-spot.  Total for the night now 17 of 13 species, almost the best catch this year.

Better night last night and just into double figures.  3 Muslin Moth, 2 Scalloped Hazel, Nut-tree Tussock, 2 Red Twin-spot Carpet, Hebrew Character, first Heart and Dart of the year and a yet to be identified Noctuid.

Plenty of micros flying around the garden yesterday eveneing including 10+Light Brown Apple Moth, 3 Twenty-two Plume Moths, 3 Caloptilia syringella, Eudonia angustea, Pyrausta aurata, and two different Tortrix moths yet to be identified one being the bird-dropping type.

Double figures again !!  13 moths of 9 species - 5 Muslin moths, and singletons of Pebble Prominent, White Ermine. Brimstone Moth, Red Twin-spot Carpet, and Flame Shoulder, plus FFY Currant Pug, Iron Prominent and Nutmeg. The Nutmeg is only the second record here, the only other being in 2006.  I'm sure there was also a fast-moving micro which got away before I could box it, so I'll have a look in the skylight this evening to check. Watch this space.  Two Cockchafers in the MV trap as well, very lively and keen to be released.

Confirmations all round- thank you everybody for your input - I can release it!

Robin has confirmed Sue's moth as a Light Feathered Rustic and says it is typical of the sort he catches in that area.

Spotted a few Micropterix calthella on buttercup flowers this afternoon.  A first record here.

A bit of an improvement last night, with 23 moths of 14 species. FFY were Common Pug, Pale Tussock, Buff-tip and Green Carpet. In the garden this afternoon were Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back Moth) and Epiblema cynosbatella, both FFY. The micros are on the way!

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.

15 moths of ten species including FFY - a Foxglove Pug.

T Min 8.5C. 13 moths of six species including FFY Common Pug, Treble Lines & White Ermine.

Very cool and bright so didn't expect much but 3 FFY, Agon.arenalla, Pale Tussock and White Ermine plus a Muslin. Large Elephant HM pupa found by my pond, presumably one of the aquatic larvae. A Small Tort. caterpillar started to pupate on house wall yesterday- sadly it had been munched by this morning.

Thanks for that- have also conferred with recorders on IOW and Hants recorder, where commoner. Reckon it is- I still have it potted.

Lepiforum.de shows some pale examples. See http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Agrotis_Cinerea

Sue, I've spoken to Robin Clatworthy who has limited computer access and he will look at your image in the morning. He tells me that he catches Light Feathered Rustic every year on Butleigh Ridge in May, it is extremely variable and there should be no reason why you wouldn't catch it in Butleigh. He also asks that if you have the moth could you keep it in case he needs to Id the live specimen.

I thought last night was a dead loss, just 1 Heb.Ch, 2 Muslin, 2 Com.Pug, 2 Flame Shoulder, until this popped out. It has me stumped. Can the more experienced Mothers help with an ID? I wondered about Light Feathered Rustic- I see it has been recorded about 2 miles from here in Great Breech Wood. Right shape, size and colour. But much less marked than the ones I have taken on IOW.

Only 7 singletons last night - Shuttle-shaped Dart, Brimstone Moth, Muslin Moth and Flame Shoulder, plus (all FFY) Chinese Character, Green Carpet & Common Wave.  Also another Cockchafer beetle whose satnav failed him.

Thirteen moths of 7 species last night, including FFY Brown Silver-line and White Ermine. Otherwise Scalloped Hazel, Muslin Moth (2), Silver-ground Carpet, Shuttle Shaped Dart (3), Hebrew Character (3) and Flame Shoulder.  Still a struggle!

Still too wet and windy here at night to trap but did see two or three of these in the sunshine yesterday.

Still low numbers, only 11 moths of 7 species.  5 Muslin Moths, and singletons of Hebrew Character, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder and FFY - Poplar Hawk, White Ermine and Brown House-moth (Hofmannophila pseudospretella (small moth, big name !!).

Cothelstone Hill this morning: Speckled Yellow, Silver-ground Carpet and at least a couple of hundred Adela reaumurella 'dancing' around bramble; quite spectacular.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.

Still showery and windy with only ten moths of six species in the trap including one FFY - a Silver-Ground carpet.

Chris your first photo is almost certainly a Clouded Drab, note the dark mark between the oval mark and the kidney mark and also the dark mark part way along the outer cross-line which is prominent in most specimens even in the very dark forms.

A fair night for moths here - only the third time I have tried running the trap this year, so most species are new for 2014.  Is the first photo of a Clouded Drab?  It looks a little on the drab side even for that, but I can't work out what else it might be.

Freshly-emerged Spruce Carpet:

Coxcomb Prominent - the first time I have had one of these moths to the trap:

I took the trap into an open porch at 10.30 pm last night just as the rain started. Overall there were 12 moths of 5 species, only five in the trap! FFY was a Common Marbled Carpet - as was a Silver-ground Carpet seen in the garden in the afternoon. Others were Brimstone Moth, Pebble Prominent, Hebrew Character, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Nut Tree Tussock and Twenty Plume Moth.

It may seem bleak at the moment but in the year to date I've recorded 40 species compared with 22 as at the same date last year.

As the rain started just before 11pm, I went out to bring the traps indoors (I normally leave them out overnight - sheer laziness probably) and found 5 moths on the wall near the MV trap, and managed to round them up, These brought the total to a staggering 14 in total, plus a rather confused Cockchafer beetle (May-bug).  The only FFY was a Ringed China-mark, the earliest I have had here by 2 weeks.

On a teasel flower-head today in our orchard, an Endothenia marginana, also FFY, and second record here.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.

Wet and very windy and only eleven moths of nine species including FFY - Common Marbled Carpet and Seraphim.

Set two traps on Wednesday night at The National Trust's Prior Park Gardens in Bath for opening yesterday morning.

A number of members from the Bath Natural History Societies Moth Group and staff from the gardens were present for the 'grand' opening with fairly high expectations given that the weather wasn't too bad and the locality was pretty good too with woodland, specimen trees, shrubs and even waterside plants but we were somewhat disappointed with just four species in the MV trap and no moths at all in the Actinic trap, I have been getting better results with my actinic trap in a small suburban back garden, sometimes there's no answer to it!

On a positive note though we had our first Mocha of the year and our first Rivulet and everyone there seemed to enjoy themselves anyway despite the lack of moths.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.

A windy night with only eleven moths of eight species including FFY - a Clouded-Bordered Brindle.

What I thought was going to be a bad moth night turned up some great surprises this morning; A Puss Moth, 2 Chocolate Tips (I was more than happy with one, then I found another on the window frame when the light got better) a FFG Streamer, and FFYs; Shuttle-shaped Dart, Green Carpet, Iron Prominent, Poplar Hawk, Eudonia augustea.

Also found a Small Yellow Underwing trapped in the polytunnel on tuesday.

In desperation, I ran the trap last night for the first time in two weeks and ended up with the worst catch since the beginning of March - 10 moths of 9 species. Oh for those balmy days we had in late March and early April! I did manage two FFY - Lesser Swallow Prominent and Scalloped Hazel. Otherwise single LBAM, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Pebble Prominent, Flame Shoulder, Hebrew Character, Shuttle-shaped Dart and no less than 2 Twenty Plume Moths.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.

Wet and windy. 15 moths of 11 species including five FFY - Lesser Swallow Prominent, Buff Tip, Brown Silver-line (2), Cinnabar and Spectacle.

39 moths of 14 species down the road at Netherclay LNR last night. Shuttle-shaped Dart (13), Brimstone (6), two each Brindled Pug, Green Carpet, Hebrew Character, Flame Shoulder, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet & Seraphim and single Scorched Carpet, Pale Prominent, Small White Wave & Common Quaker.

NIgel - nice idea, but I'm not sure I want my beer diluted by teardrops !!

Went for an amble around the Blackdowns this morning and saw my first Micropterix calthella of the year. At least 100 were on Bulbous Buttercups at Ruggin.

Paul, perhaps you & I should go down the pub and drown our sorrows. Only single Flame Shoulder, Shuttle-shaped Dart and two LBAM here.

Just when I thought things couldn't get much worse, they just did !!  Only 1 Brimstone corpse outside the trap, and 1 Hebrew Character (alive) therein.  Oh well, keep trying I suppose.

Tony Liebert has been breeding Emperor Moths (Saturnia pavonia) in a collaborative project with Cambridge University. This year he carried out some assembling sessions over four days (9th – 11th April) in the Quantocks with bred females – the results are given below. He thinks that males are attracted over a distance of probably 1-2km at the most.


Mating Emperor Moths ©John Bebbington FRPS 2009

9th April Sunny, gentle wind from N/NW; 2-4 pm. Parked above West Bagborough.
OS grid ref
(all ST) Area; No. males attracted; (Time to arrive)
180339 Small area of grazed heather & bramble at base of Lydeard Hill 2 (1 minute)
182343 Larger area of grazed heather & bramble Lydeard Hill 2 (1 minute)
178343 Heathy area Lydeard Hill/Middle Hill 6 (1 minute)
169348 Shallow quarry area with heath Bagborough Hill 1 (1 minute)
181356 Open heathy area below Aisholt Common – violets present 10 (1 minute)
171352 Towards top slope Aisholt Common – heath & bramble edge 4 (1 minute)
166352 Nr Black Knap Aisholt Common - -

10th April Cooler, windier, N/NW; less sun; 2-4 pm. Parked Crowcombe Park Gate.
OS grid ref
(all ST) Area No. males attracted (Time to arrive)
151316 Top of West Hill. Gorse; ling/heather, rhododendron 1 (3 minutes)
148379 Small area of heath above treed edge Crowcombe Park 1 (1 minute)
144384 Heath on Black Hill 1 1 minute
139385 Edge of path near Halsway Post, Halsway Hill 1 (1 minute)
133393 Path edge with old ling/heather/gorse, Black Ball Hill 1 (1 minute)

11th April Windy, moths blown away, little sun; 2-4 pm. West Quantoxhead.
OS grid ref
(all ST) Area No. males attracted (Time to arrive)
119409 Flat area top of Weacombe slope. Ling/heather, gorse, fine grass 2 (4 minutes)
119402 Small area burnt heath close to rhododendron 1 (1 minute)
128404 Heath area not far from Bicknoller Post 1 (10 minutes)
133401 Heath area near path to Shephards Combe and Ladies Edge 1 (4 minutes)

12th April Wind moderate, N/NW, sunny. 2-4 pm. Parked Bicknoller, walked along edge of Quantocks from base of Bicknoller Combe to Shortcombe.
OS grid ref
(all ST) Area No. males attracted (Time to arrive)
116393 Mainly bracken on slope, bramble on path edge, some small trees. 1 (30 minutes)
121391 Near stream above cottages, some heath, Shortcombe & Longcombe 1 (2 minutes)
115392 Walked back to Bicknoller by Trendle Lane below field next to hills 1 (3 minutes)

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

Wet and windy, 18 moths of 13 species including FFY - Small Phoenix (2). Also one wing of a Poplar Hawk, perhaps the victim of a bat !

A cold night at Lime Ridge (5C) attended by Mike Ridge, Robin Clatworthy, Nigel Cottle and Liz Marsden, produced the following species from 7 light traps;

• Syndemis musculana--------1
• Mocha,-----------------------1
• Small Phoenix,----------------2
• Clouded Border,-------------2
• Spruce Carpet,---------------1
• Red Twin-spot Carpet,-----4
• Common Marbled Carpet,-1
• Common Wave,-------------1
• Small White Wave,---------8
• Brimstone Moth,------------5
• Engrailed,--------------------1
• Square Spot,----------------4
• Early Thorn,------------------1
• Barred Umber,---------------2
• Brindled Pug,-----------------4
• Dwarf Pug,--------------------1
• Brindled Beauty, -----------35
• Muslin Moth,------------------1
• Pebble Prominent,----------4
• Great Prominent,------------12
• Coxcomb Prominent,--------2
• Pale Tussock,-----------------3
• Common Quaker,------------1
• Hebrew Character,----------4
• Nut-tree Tussock,------------5
• Clouded Drab,----------------2
• Flame Shoulder,--------------2

Whilst out in the back garden this afternoon I found a new moth for the garden by Cypress leylandii which I believe is Argyresthia trifasciata.

Argyresthia trifasciata Milton, Weston-super-Mare

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.

28 moths of 12 species including 8 male Muslin Moths which are having a good year here. FFY - Poplar Hawk (2), Chocolate Tip and Shuttle-shaped Dart.

During Sunday's BC Field Trip to Buckland Wood: A larval web of what may be early instar Small Eggar was found on Hawthorn (will keep an eye on this and see how things develop); single Small Yellow Underwing & Silver Y (my first since last October); several Pyrausta purpuralis, and two 1251 Grapholita jungiella .

Things be gettin' worse! Just two Brimstone and single Shuttle-shaped Dart & Double-striped Pug.

Still small nmbers - only 9 moths, of 7 species.  The only FFY was a Nut-tree Tussock.

Looking back over the records, it would appear that this year, in spite of the apparent lack of moth numbers, is better than 2013, so I suppose I shouldn't complain even if I have been a bit disappointed (still only 29 species to date). I was beginning to wonder if the last two wet Winters have had anything to do with the situation. I was convinced things were better in previous years, but in fact over the last 5 years, things have been remarkably similar - strange how one's perspective can be altered without any reasonable basis !!

Robin Clatworthy's trappings for April 2014.  24 sessions, dusk till dawn: 53 species, 617 individuals.

• Double-striped Pug
• Common Pug
• Brindled Pug
• Oak-tree Pug
• Oak Beauty
• Brindled Beauty
• Engrailed
• Waved Umber
• Early Thorn
• Purple Thorn
• Early Tooth-striped
• Brimstone Moth
• March Moth
• Streamer
• Red Twin-spot Carpet
• Scorched Carpet
• Shoulder Stripe
• Pebble Hooktip
• Flame Carpet
• Small Phoenix
• Garden Carpet
• Common Marbled Carpet
• Hebrew Character
• Common Quaker
• Small Quaker
• Powdered Quaker
• Twin-spot Quaker
• Clouded Drab
• Red Chestnut
• Dotted Chestnut
• Chestnut
• Early Grey
• Pale Pinion
• Pale Mottled Willow
• Herald
• Muslin Moth
• Dotted Border
• Choclate tip
• Lunar Marbled Brown
• Coxcomb Prominent
• Pale Prominent
• Peeble Prominent
• Iron Prominent
• Swallow Prominent
• Lesser Swallow Prominent
• Angle Shades
• Mullein Shark
• Northern Drab (only 3rd and 4th for this site in 20 years)
• White Ermine
• Shuttle-shaped Dart
• Flame Shoulder
• Twenty Plume
• Acleris literana

List of species trapped at Merriott By Robin Clatworthy for March 2014 commencing 7th March to 31st March, 15 sessions, 125W MV Robinson type . Many thanks to Liz Marsden for entering them for me.

• March Moth
• Dotted Border
• Early Thorn
• Brindled Beauty
• Double-striped Pug
• Brindled Pug
• Common Pug
• Early Tooth-striped
• Streamer
• Small Quaker
• Common Quaker
• Powdered Quaker
• Twin-spot Quaker
• Clouded Drab
• Hebrew Character
• Pale Pinion
• Early Grey
• Dotted Chestnut
• Satellite
• Chestnut
• Nut-tree Tussock
• Oak Nyctoline
• Small Eggar
• Oak Beauty
• Water Carpet
• Diurnia fagella
• Common Plume
• Twenty Plume

28 species, 360 individuals from 16 nights - dusk till dawn.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe.

Another cold night with 18 moths of 8 species including one FFY, a Peppered Moth.

Still only garden trapping done this year with 76 species to date including 5 new for the garden. Micro's are starting to become more frequently observed whilst out in the field and yesterday in Weston Woods I found what looks good for my first Phyllonorycter tristrigella around an Elm tree.

Phyllonorycter tristrigella Weston Woods

Even the more usual common species have been scarce, but sometimes something good turns up such as this Brindled Beauty.

Still only small numbers in the trap but the leaf miners are making up for this. This little chap was flying around one of the roses in the garden yesterday.

Stigmella anomalella (Rose Leaf Miner)

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

A colder night which seems to have upset my thermometer produced 28 moths of only 12 species including one FFY a Scalloped Hazel and there were several Holly Blues in the garden today.

Same here Paul. T Min a warm 10.5°C but only five moths. Purple Thorn, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Brimstone, Early Grey and FFY Cabbage Moth.

Still getting very low numbers in spite of the slightly milder weather & new moon - only 8 in total - 2 each Pebble Prominent & Red Twin-spot Carpet, 1 each Brimstone Moth, Hebrew Character,Shuttle-shaped Dart & Muslin Moth.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

28 moths of 17 species including FFY - Scorched and Garden Carpets, White Ermine and Waved Umber.

A warm night (min 10C) gave a good many species; Brimstone(6), H.Character(5), Flame Shoulder(4), Nut-tree Tussock(4), Light Brown Apple Moth(3), Pebble Prominant(2), Clouded Drab(2), Red Twin-spot Carpet(1), FFY Waved Umber(1), FFY Least Black Arches(1), Knot Grass(1), FFY Muslin Moth(1), Double striped Pug(1), FFY V-Pug(1), Brindled Pug(1), Powdered Quaker (1), Common Quaker(1), Depressaria daucella(1), Agonopterix arenella(1), and A.heracliana(1), Pale Pinion(1), and FFG May Highflyer(1).

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

35 moths of 19 species including FFY Brimstone Moth, V-Pug (2), Chinese Character, Flame Carpet and Bright-line Brown-eye (2). We also had our first May Bug!.