As well as being warm, it wasn't as breezey as forecast here, resulting in 17 macro and 7 micro species. Beaded Chestnut was the most common(12).  Common Marbled Carpet, Nov.Moth Agg., LBAM, Rusty-dot Pearl with 7-8 each. FFYs were Vestal(1), Feathered Thorn(2) and a Brick (actually 1st for 2 years and 2nd ever! - pictured).  A Straw Dot and a 658 Carcina quercana were the 'late' comers.

A very mild night here, too but moth numbers now poor - just 4 moths of 4 species! They were Diamond-back Moth, Light brown Apple Moth, Feathered Thorn (my best year for this species, with 3 records) and Angle Shades (latest record)/ Perhaps it's time to put the trap into winter storage!

Very mild night here with the minimum temp 14.6 degrees C. I had 71 moths of 24 species including: Gem (2 - male and female, FFY), Delicate (1, FFG), Clay (1, FFG), Dark Chestnut (4, FFY), Red-green Carpet (2, FFY), November Moth agg. were the most numerous with 17.

Another warm night (T Min 14°C) but only nine moths of seven species. A few micros this time with three LBAM and single examples of Eudonia angustea, Tachystola acroxantha and Blastobasis lacticolella.

4 traps ran from 9pm to 3am last night (30th) recording the following:

• 40+ Rusty Dot Pearl
• 5 Feathered Thorn
• 10 Beaded Chestnut
• 1 Diamond-back Moth
• 1 Scarce Bordered Straw
• 3 Rush Veneer
• 10 Angle Shades
• 4 Red-green Carpet
• 1 White Point
• 2 Setaceous Hebrew Character
• 30 November Moth
• 2 Autumnal Moth
• 3 Green Brindled Crescent
• 2 Large Wainscot
• 1 Mother of Pearl
• 5 Lunar Underwing
• 1 Dark Sword-grass
• 1 LBAM
• 1 Red-line Quaker
• 1 Pearly Underwing
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 3 Black Rustic
• 2 Turnip
• 1 Brick
• 1 Acleris rhombana
• 2 Blastobasis lacticolella
• 1 Feathered Ranunculus

Single Feathered Thorn and 2 LBAM in the trap. Singles of Cypress Carpet, Blair's Shoulder-Knot and Angle Shades on the wall.

I wonder if anyone can help with an ID for this very faded specimen, I have asked a couple of people and had a couple of suggestions but with limited degree of certainty. It may well be one of those that is too far gone. Thanks.

Not quite that bad here Sue. Two Blair's Shoulder-knot and single Angle Shades, Large Yellow Underwing & Setaceous Hebrew Character.

17:00h. Just found a Spruce Carpet on a fence post; obviously overlooked it when I emptied the trap and checked around the garden this morning.

Such a promising night, but just a solitary Large Wainscot ventured in! Later found a Rush Veneer in egg boxes.

In the garden trap here in Weston last night: 1 Palpita vitrealis, 1 Diamond-back Moth, 1 RDP and a Silver Y. The previous night I had a Gem which was the only migrant. Non-migrants included Red-line Quaker, Feathered Thorn, Pink-barred Sallow and a Crocidosema plebejana on 24th October.

A sparse catch here too. 2 FFYs, Feathered Thorn and Sprawler and a real surprise, my first ever 0389 Choreutis pariana, Apple Leaf Skeletoniser. Our garden is adjacent to an old orchard, but I have never seen on before. Only 3mm- I nearly missed it!

T Min 13.5°C. Another warm night but only five moths of four species. Two LBAM and single November Moth agg., Lesser Yellow Underwing & Green-brindled Crescent.

Mild but probably far too windy. 2 Blair's Shoulder-Knot, 1 Bearded Chestnut and 3 Light Brown Apple Moth were the very slim pickings.

Pretty awful here again last night, with 6 moths of 4 species. Nothing new.

It's amazing the variability of sites around the county!

A very good night for me; I'd almost given up on seeing Merveille du Jour here, having had none since starting in 2012, but thrilled to get 3 last night. And another first was a (very large!) Large Wainscot. Also Cypress and Pine Carpet ( both first since 2012), FFY Red-green Carpet(3), Angle Shades(1), Sallow(1), Barred Sallow(1), Lesser YU(1), Common Marbled Carpet(5), Nov. Moth agg.(5), Snout(3, all very faded), Green-brindled Cresent(2), Beaded Chesnut(5), Red-line Quaker(1), Blair's Shoulder Knot(1), and a late Swallow-tailed Moth. Micros; Rusty-dot Pearl(4), Eudonia angustea(2) and LBAM(5). A few days ago I saw my 1st Rush Veneer of the year in the garden by day.

Low numbers last night, but including 2 Delicates, a Rusty-dot Pearl and a second-for-the-year Crocidosema plebejana.

Nine moths of eight spp. Two November Moth agg. and single Barred Sallow, Blair's Shoulder-knot, Angle Shades, Black Rustic, Pale Mottled Willow, Rusty-dot Pearl & LBAM.

That didn't take long this morning, 2 Light Brown Apple Moth in the trap and a Black Rustic on the wall nearby.

A bit disappointing, with only 13 moths, and 6 species.  FFY was a Sprawler (the earliest recorded here), and there were 5 Green-brindled Crescents, only 2 Beaded Chestnuts and another late Lunar Underwing.  A Feathered Thorn came into the house last night - must have taken a wrong turning.

I managed a 3 night stint of moth trapping (MV bulb) last weekend, using an improvised (Heath-Robinson) shelter to keep the rain off, which yielded a total of 115 moths of 31 species, including 6 micros. Mostly the usual suspects for this time of year but it was good to see Feathered Thorn, Figure of Eight, Large Wianscot, Green-brindled Crescent (into double figures on 2 occasions) and Beautiful Hook-tip, all of which I rarely see in Middlesex. The main disappointment was not seeing Merveille du Jour which I missed out on last year as well.

I must add that I really enjoy reading this blog - usually 2-3 times a week - just to find what you are seeing in Somerset and hoping that I might get there in time to see some of them !!

Sue - I couldn't recall having had such a late Dark Arches, so I checked back my records since I came to live here in August 2005, and I have only recorded two individuals after the end of August, one in September 2005, and the other, believe it or not, on 22nd.November 2011!!  I must admit I clearly didn't think at the time that this was unusual, as I didn't make a note, but obviously I should have.

My first year of regular moth trapping at our new home has resulted in 334 species (259 macros and 75 micros). One thing that has characterised most catches is the relatively low numbers of moths but always a comparatively large number of species. Last night demonstrated this perfectly with ten moths of ten different species from my 15w actinic which was set out at 10.15pm probably missing the ‘early-arrivers’ such as the very frequent Barred Sallow. I had another fresh Buff Footman and singletons of the following: Yellow-line Quaker (NFY), Red-line Quaker, Feathered Thorn, Black Rustic, Cypress Carpet, November Moth agg., Blair’s Shoulder-knot, Pale Mottled Willow and Straw Dot.

Good collection last night, using a Wemlite. 20 species, FFY Carpets, Red-green, Cypress and Spruce, 7 Epirrita agg. Merveille du Jour, Green-Brindled cresc. Red-line Quaker, Angle Shades, Swallow-tailed Moth. First Dark Chestnut of the year, and a very fresh Dark Arches-anyone else had such late one? A couple of Rusty-dot Pearl but no other migrants.

59 moths of 23 species last night: Grey shoulder-knot (1) NFG, Merveille du Jour (1), Barred Sallow (3), November Moth agg. (10), Angle Shades (3), Double-striped Pug (1), Blair's Shoulder-knot (10), Buff Footman (1), Cypress Carpet (1), Green-brindled Crescent (3), Black Rustic (1), Feathered Thorn (1) NFY, Shuttle-shaped Dart (2), Beaded Chestnut (8), Common Marbled Carpet (1), Vestal (1) NFY, Silver Y (1), Large Yellow Underwing (1), Light Brown Apple Moth (2), Pale Mottled Willow (1), Vine's Rustic (1), Spruce Carpet (2), Crocidosema plebejana (1).

Just 6moths last night but one was a Large Wainscot which i don't see each year. On the 22nd i had a Blood Vein. Not the best of years with the largest number of LYU being 7 and very few Setaceous Hebrew Character. On 2nd Oct. i had a L-Album Wainscot a ffg.Also on 19th a pristine Mottled Umber.

After more than two weeks away, I decided to run the trap last night. I almost managed Jenny's total! I had seven moths of seven species - Common Marbled and Pine Carpets, Double-striped Pug (now my latest record), Feathered Thorn (FFY), Lesser Yellow Underwing, Barred Sallow and a pristine Silver Y. The Thorn was interesting in that it was only my second record, the first being three years ago.

Only two moths were in the trap, the rest were on the wall.

I managed to get the moth trap out at my Mum's garden in Frome the other day. Dismal number and species of moths: 8 moths of 5 species as follows:

Red-green Carpet 1 Angle Shades 1 Blair's Shoulder-knot 2 (a first for me) Common Plume 1 Light Brown Apple moth 3 (male)

After a few nights with poor weather conditions, I finally got round to trapping again.  Just 23 moths (including 10 Beaded Chestnuts), and 11 species altogether, in spite of the mildness of the night.  Only one FFY, a Merveille du Jour, the first for two years.  I always think that this is one of the more beautiful Autumnal moths. There was also a very worn Lunar Underwing, almost the latest date I've recorded one, a Scrobipalpa costella, the first micro I've seen for some time, and another Cypress Carpet.

November Moth and Feathered Thorn were new for the year. Migrants included a Silver Y and a White Point but the best moth was a Red Sword Grass. I only had my first record of this species in March so it was good to get another generation.

Trapped at Netherclay until 23:30h when the rain started (unfortunately, a couple of hours earlier than it was forecast). 109 moths of 18 species. No fewer than 57 November Moth agg. made up the bulk; Common Marbled Carpet (21) was the only other species in double-figures. Also: Sallow, Barred Sallow (5), Brick, Green-brindled Crescent, Red-line Quaker, Black Rustic, Feathered Thorn (6), Square-spot Rustic, Lunar Underwing and Merveille du Jour. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned two second brood Small Fan-footed Wave that I trapped here; another two (extremely ragged) individuals were caught last night. Five species of micro including the first site record of 462 Ypsolopha sequella.

Ypsolopha sequella

Despite the wind 64 moths turned up; 51 of 16 macro sp. and 13 of 8 micro sp (3 of which i've got to identify). New for the year for me were Green Brindled Cresent, Red and Yellow line Quaker, Blair's Shoulder knot and November Moth Agg. Most surprising was a Beautiful Hook-tip!

I was hoping for good numbers as it was a mild night, but in the event there were only 30 moths of 11 species between two traps.  Beaded Chestnuts again the most numerous (15), and it looks as if the Lunar Underwings have more or less finished, as there were none this time, and numbers have been falling off recently.  FFY were 2 Cypress Carpets and a Red-line-Quaker.  As well as a good number of Caddis Flies there was also a small black parasitic wasp with an ovipositor and antennae each as long as its body (about 1/3" each section). Amazing !!

When I first recorded a Cypress Carpet in 2005, there were fewer than a dozen records for the whole County - since then I have seen them almost every year, and now they're quite common all over.  Just goes to show what climate change can do, doesn't it ?

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 12.3 degrees

36 moths of 16 species including FFY - a Feathered Thorn.  I agree that Barred Sallow is having a good year. We had seven last night.

A welcome addition to my garden list last night was a Blair's Mocha

67 moths of 16 species here but nothing new for the year and no sign of any migrants. 8 Barred Sallows were many more than I usually record on one night and adds to the comments made earlier about them.

Not particularly good results last tnight - 31 moths (and Beaded Chestnuts accounted for 19 of these) and only 9 species altogether.  FFY were Red-green Carpet, Feathered Thorn, and the first Yellow-line Quaker since 2011.

A much better night here too with Merveille de Jour being the only first for the year.
I wasn't expecting much in the trap as I had driven to Chard and back at midnight along country lanes and failed to see a single moth in the headlights.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 8.6 degrees

A much better night after one which was too wet for trapping. 36 moths of 16 species including FFY - Yellow-lined Quaker (3). Beaded Chestnut was best with nine.

Much better here too, 58 moths of 17 sps, Beaded Chestnuts the commonest followed by Lunar UWs and Barred Sallows. 6 FFYs Merveille du Jour, Green-Brindled Crescent, November Moth, Mallow, Blair's Shoulder-knot and Eudonia angustea. Nice to see only second ever garden Mallow.

Much better here in the eastern half of the County, I'm glad to say.  29moths of 12 species, including no fewer thatn 5 FFY - Blair's Shoulder-knot (2), Green-brindled Crescent (3), November Moth agg., Satellite, & Figure of Eight (these last two the first since 2012).  Beaded Chestnuts again predominant, with 12 individuals.

Rain cleared leaving a dry, overcast night with T Min 11°C but no moths at all in the trap this morning

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 5.9 degrees

Only five moths but one was a FFY - a November Moth.

Last night started well but quickly deteriorated. I packed up at about 12.30 - it was cold, nothing was moving and heavy rain was forecast. By then the moon was quite high and I found I could do without a torch when the light was out! Like Paul I was surprised by the amount of Barred Sallows (5) who mostly arrived within 30 minutes of the light going on. Also Common Marbled Carpet (6), Eudonia angustea(2) and singles of Beaded Chestnut, Large Ranunculus, Rusty-dot Pearl, Straw Dot, Setaceous Hebrew Character and LBAM. But best and a first for me was this Deep-brown Dart;

Same story here, a chilly night, with some rain at about 5.am (and I really couldn't be fussed to get up to bring the traps in) - 14 moths only, of 6 species. The only thing of note were 4 Barred Sallows, the most I have ever had in one night.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 6.8 degrees

12 moths of 8 species including FFY - Red-green Carpet.

Pretty much the same here. 10 moths of 5 sps, FFY Red-line Quaker, also Commmon Marbled and Garden Carpets, Lunar UWs and Beaded Chestnuts. More interesting last week on SW coast of IOW, Beautiful Gothic, Feathered Brindle and Feathered Ranunculus.

Only 7 moths of 5 species last night. This included my first Silver Y for ages. It also included a Red line Quaker. This is my 286th macro species of the year which is the more than I have ever recorded before.

A clear moonlit night with T Min 7°C. Only six moths of four species: Large & Lesser Yellow Underwing, Lunar Underwing and Common Marbled Carpet.

A breezier night than forecast, with a full moon - result, only 25 moths of 7 species.  Beaded Chestnuts (11) the most numerous, and no FFY.

Trapped until the wind got up and light rain started at midnight. Only 37 moths of 14 species four of which were micros: Garden Rose Tortrix, Rhomboid Tortrix, Carcina quercana & Blastobasis lacticolella. A Black Rustic was a site first and of particular interest were three examples of Small Fan-footed Wave which were rather unexpected; looks like there has been a partial 2nd-brood this year.

Carcina quercana

The list of species trapped by Robin Clatworthy at his Merriott garden over 21 nights in Sept. with a 125w MV light; 73 macros and 6 Pyrales.

Brimstone Moth, Magpie Moth, Dusky Thorn, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Lilac Beauty, Light Emerald, Willow Beauty, Common Wave, Double-striped Pug, Blood-vein, Garden Carpet, Dingy Footman, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic, Six-striped Rustic, Common Rustic, Small Square-spot, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Common Wainscot, Rosy Rustic, Angle Shades, Flounced Rustic, Vine's Rustic, Chinese Character, Spectacle, Red Underwing, Snout, Small Blood-vein, Common Marbled Carpet, Common White Wave, Currant Pug, Pebble Hook-tip, Heart and Dart, Lesser Common Rustic, Pale Mottled Willow, Frosted Orange, Centre-barred Sallow, Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow, Barred Sallow, Dusky-lemon Sallow, Beaded Chestnut, Lunar Underwing, Black Rustic, Marbled Beauty, Burnished Brass, Straw Dot, Feathered Gothic, Flounced Chestnut, Bright-line Brown-eye, Pale Eggar, Green Carpet, Ruby Tiger, Oak Hook-tip, Riband Wave, Cabbage Moth, Large Ranunculus, Sharp-angled Carpet, Vestal, Silver Y, Spruce Carpet, Sevensson's Copper underwing, Copper Underwing, Cypress Carpet, Grey Pine Carpet, Clouded Silver, Dark Spectacle, Swallow-tailed Moth,

Eurpean Corn-borer(picture), Mother of Pearl, Rush Veneer, Rusty-dot Pearl, Meal Moth, Anania coronata,

Oddly enough, a few days after Robin recorded the first Dusky-lemon Sallow for this 10Km square(sept 'latest sightings') I had another (different!) one in my garden about 3 miles away.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 4.8 degrees

The change to autumn temperatures reduced the catch to 11 moths of 7 species but they included two FFY - Pearly Underwing and Red Line Quaker.

Well, that didn't take long to sort out !!  1 each Lunar Underwing & Beaded Chestnut were all that were in the traps this morning. As it was cold enough for a slight frost I'm not surprised, but a bit disappointed nonetheless.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 11.3 degrees and very wet at dawn.

19 species including FFY - Green Brindled Crescent and the attractive black and white micro Y.sequella. A second brood Riband Wave (plain) was a surprise.

As forecast the wind got up and the heavens opened at 05:30h. Just seven moths of six species with Large Ranunculus FFY.

Not very many moths last night (53 of 11 species including 33 Lunar Underwings) but quite an interesting bunch nevertheless.  A Red Sword-grass was a pleasant surprise, as I have only seen this species here once before, in March 2006, another Large Wainscot, and a second brood Short-cloaked moth.  David Agassiz & Jane Durham commented on this on September 20th - it seems that this is yet another moth which is having a second brood this year - in this species a very unusual event.  Only one small black beetle this time, and a whole load of Caddises

Thanks Paul and Nigel for your help.  I've sent a photo to David as suggested. I'll let you know how I get on.

Edit: Well that was quick! David thinks it's 'an unusual colour form of the Common Plume (Emmelina monodactyla)'

Another night with low numbers - 35 moths of 12 species. A couple of highlights though, with FFY Frosted Orange and FFG Autumnal Rustic. As regards the latter, no heathland or moorland around here but certainly plenty of rough grassland!

Jenny - I'd suggest you contact David Agassiz in Weston-s-M on david.agassiz@gmail.com - David is a micro-moth expert, and may be able to tell from the photo.  I assume you no longer have the moth for him to look at in the flesh, which would ideally be the best thing when dealing with scarce species.  Good luck !!

Hello Jenny, I'm not that familiar with the Plumes but I'd say that was a Common Plume; a species which can be quite variable in appearance:

http://www.lepiforum.de/lepiwiki.pl?Emmelina_Monodactyla

cheers Nigel

Hi all I'd appreciate any help in identifying this Plume moth. I had it in my conservatory on the 19th of Sept. The nearest I THINK I could get to it was either a Twin-spot or Dowdy. Any help gratefully received.

A very poor night with only 13 moths of six species. A Heart & Dart was the second second-generation individual that I have trapped this autumn.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 11.5 degrees.

19 species including FFY - Blair's Shoulder knot and an autumn brood Archips podana.

Quite a good night - 75 moths of 19 species, including FFG Small Wainscot, and FFY Large Wainscot (first since 2011), and a second Vestal.  Lunar Underwings still reasonably numerous (38), but numbers appear to be falling off a bit, which I would expect, as I've found in the past that they peak in September.

22 species comprising 68 moths last night. The most exciting being my first ever Blair's Mocha, also a Mallow (NFG) and four Black Rustic (NFY). Barred Sallow (8) was the most prevalent.

Much quieter last night - numbers down a bit to 54 moths and 15 species.  Even the Lunar Underwings down to 25, and no FFY this time.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 12.9 degrees

24 species including FFY - Merveille du Jour and Barred Sallow.