A minimum temperature of 16C last night produced the best catch of the year so far - 170 moths of 50 species. The star was an FFG Lappet, doing its best to impersonate a leaf! FFY were Orange Swift, Agapeta hamana, Single-dotted and Small Yellow Waves, Common White Wave, Light Emerald, The Rustic and Small Fan-foot. Catches for Small Magpie (8), Buff Ermine (10). Heart & Club (31) and Burnished Brass (6) were my highest for those species. A few still to check.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - MIn Temp 13.1 degrees

140 moths of 43 species including FFY - Single-dotted Wave, Brown China-mark, C.perlella and 1343 E. Delunella. We also had a second Humming-bird Hawk moth nectaring on Valerian.

A very worn Bordered Straw on Sunday night + FFY's Clepsis consimilana, Eudonia mercurella, Small Magpie, Double Square-spot and Buff Arches.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10.6 degrees

130 moths of 44 species including FFY - Common Lute String, Vines Rustic, Grey Arches (2), Fan foot and a very dark Dark Arches f.aethiops.

Very disappointing catches still at Burnham, but I did get what appears to be 49.251 BF1146 Epinotia rubiginosana. There doesn't seem to be to many Somerset records of this species.

Another relatively quiet night, just 79 moths of 33 species.  FFY were Clouded Border (2), Plain Golden Y, Lackey (2), Magpie Moth, and Gold Triangle (2). Heart & Dart the most numerous, with 20.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 14.6 degrees

180 moths of 52 species including FFY - Common and Scarce Footman, Grass Emerald, Lilac Beauty, Pinion-streaked Snout, Clay and P.heparana, Also FFY, nectaring on valerian, a Humming-bird Hawk-moth.

Good numbers again last night, with 143 moths of 35 species. FFY were Diamond-back Moth, Bramble Shoot Moth, Crambus perlella, The Phoenix and Pine Carpet (my earliest record).

Biggest numbers were Chrysoteuchia culmella (14), Heart & Club (19), Heart & Dart (34), The Flame (12), Dark Arches (10), and The Uncertain (14).

A postscript to my report for Thursday night. Final tally was 142moths of 45 species. Additional were my first Gold Triangle for 3 years and an FFG White-pinion Spotted.

Quality made up for quantity last night, a pristine Lime Hawk-moth, not common here, only my second ever Lilac Beauty and a garden first, a Blotched Emerald strayed from the Polden Oaks.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe -Min Temp 10.9 degrees

A 100 moths of 33 species including FFY - Rusty Dot Pearl and a Common White Wave. The catch included a remarkable 25 Buff Ermines . Also FFY today we had a Comma butterfly in the garden.

Another slightly non-numerous night, surprising considering the warm conditions.  80 moths of 34 species.  FFY were Lime-speck Pug, Grey/Dark Dagger, Uncertain (4), Small Fan-footed Wave, Small Dusty Wave, Heart & Club (2), & Scoparia ancipitella (4th record here).

Bird-cherry Ermine was FFY. There was a female Helophilus pendulus in the trap; as far as I can recall the first time I've caught a hoverfly.

I found this on my car while at Dunball yesterday. It appears to be 0146 Nemophora cupriacella.

Happy to be corrected as there are very few dots on the map.

Martin Evans and myself trapped last night from 10-1.15 behind the church. 1 trap was in the dunes and 1 on the path by the reedbed and we also sugered. 15oC with a strong southerly breeze. We had about 60 species with some highlights being a male European Corn Borer, 4 Brussels Lace, 4 Shore Wainscot, 3 Sand Dart, 2 Shark, 3 Dwarf Cream Wave, a Broad-barred White, 2 Silky Wainscot, 2 Obscure Wainscot, a Sandy Carpet, 12 Lackey, 2 Peach Blossom, 1 Garden Pebble, 8 Pretty Chalk Carpet, 10 Mottled Rustics and a Eudonia pallida.

137 moths of 40 species, with a few micros still to check. FFY were Lozotaenia forsterana (2), Barred Straw (3), Light Arches, Green Silver-lines, Dark Spectacle and Straw Dot. There were 16 Heart & Club, my highest count. It seems to be a good year for them.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 13.9 degrees

182 moths of 54 species including FFY - Common Wainscot (2),Smoky Wainscot (3), Mocha, Uncertain (2), Mottled Rustic, Green Pug, 1313 C.pinella and 1483 P.binaevella.

I believe this is a Ni Moth, not only a FFG but a lifetime first. 69+ species last night on a very muggy night. Other migrants were a Bordered Straw and Rush Veneer. FFYs were Clay, Fan-foot (2), Poplar Grey, Flame Carpet, Smoky Wainscot, Dwarf Cream Wave, Pyrausta purpuralis and a myriad of other micros that will take a lot of sorting.

A very different collection compared to my garden a mile away. Commonest sps Mottled Beauty-15.followed by FFY Lackey-7 all male. Lots of other FFYs,Double Square-spot,Treble Brown-spot,Beautiful Hook-tip, Pinion-streaked Snout, Blotched Emerald-5 and Pride of place a Kent Black Arches, although sadly being attacked by a spider. Lots of Micros including Oak-tree, Variegated Golden and Dark Fruit-tree Torts, and a new one for me Aethes cnicana.

Best night of the year so far with 207 moths of 61 species. Four FFGs: Cream-spot Tiger, Ancylis achatana, Coleophora mayrella, Pandemis cerasana. Many thanks to James McGill for confirming the micros. A few FFYs: Common Emerald (2), Brussels Lace, Clouded Border and a Dusky Brocade.

A better night than expected with 50 sps, FFYs were Snout, Riband Wave, Barred Straw, Dusky Brocade, Clay, Com. Footman, Com Emerald, Plain Golden Y and a Cypress Carpet. The only Migrants were Silver Y and dark Sword-grass. Another Lychnis turned up after my first last week, also Male and female Ghosts. Amongst the Micros, FFYs, Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix, White Plume and Anania coronata.

Just rounded up the strays from this morning - 7 more moths and a further 4 species.  One more FFY - an early Common Footman, no doubt the first of many to come.

119 moths of 40 species last night. FFY were Large Fruit Tree Tortrix, Riband Wave (2), Dot Moth, The Shark and Small Angle Shades (2).

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 8.9 degrees

A hundred moths of 43 species including FFY - July Belle, Brussels Lace, A.hamana and Yarrow Plume.

Much less activity last night - not sure why, but pleased not to be dealing with large numbers of moths, which can be very hard work, and delays breakfast !  105 moths altogether, of 37 species.  FFY were Thistle Ermine, Barred Straw(3), Buff Arches, White Plume Moth, Mottled Beauty (first since 2011), Cinnabar, Gothic (first since 2010), Grey Tortix agg, & Hedya pruniana (Plum Tortrix). Yet another Bordered Straw - they are very common this year, more it seems than other migrants, certainly here.

Please can you pass on the sad news that Doug Miller has passed away.

For those who wish to attend:

The funeral will be at 2pm on Friday 26th June at Westonzoyland Church, TA7 0EP.

The rain came earlier than advertised requiring a soggy 4am dash, swiping the lit trap and swiftly deposited it in the garage. Cup of tea in hand, I returned at 7.30 to sort through the 124 moths of 43 species. Nothing new to report but the nine NFYs included: Yellow Shell, Small Yellow Wave, Mottled Beauty, Lackey, Beautiful Hook-tip and a superb female Ghost Moth.

Not a bad night considering I had to move the trap into the back porch due to rain! 70 moths of 23 species, including FFY Celypha striana (2), Poplar Kitten and Clouded-bordered Brindle. There's one other macro, probably a Brocade, that I need to look at more closely.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 11.5 degrees

115 moths of 40 species including FFY - Green Arches, Heart and Club and Lead Belle. We also had 8 Elephant Hawks.

Found an example of the Case-bearing Clothes Moth Tinea pellionella (B&F 240) flying around the kitchen last night. I've relegated it to the garage this morning!

Adela reaumurella - Midsomer Norton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFEbnN3_y4w&feature=youtu.be

Adela rufimitrella - Gurney Slade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsw2eAb2IVc&feature=youtu.be

A surprisingly decent catch last night with 48 species, 12 Elephant Hawk-moths, FFYs were Flame, Knot Grass, Burnished Brass, Peach Blossom, Mottled Beauty, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix, Plum Tortrix, Udea olivalis, Agon. arenella and both Beautiful and Ringed male China-marks. Also a FFG which I think in Notocelia trimaculana, confirmation or otherwise appreciated.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 12.2 degrees

100 moths of 43 species including FFY - Lunar Thorn, Buff Arches, Double Square-spot, Broom Moth, Riband Wave (plain) and White-shouldered House Moth.

A bit quieter last night but still managed 69 moths of 27 species. Best were FFG Epinotia bilunana and Scorched Wing. FFY were Marbled Orchard Tortrix, Small Blood-vein and Sandy Carpet. 31 of the catch were Heart & Darts!

Another Small Eggar nest in the Frome/Radstock area, this one on the cycle path/disused railway line connecting the two.  Also a newly-emerged Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11.1 degrees

90 moths of 31 species including FFY - Grey Dagger, Green Silver-lines, C.striana and, what appears to be a west Somerset special, a Double Line (2).We also had our eighth Bordered Straw.

I've been given permission to trap in the garden of the Mill House which is next to the river Frome and adjacent to the nature reserve on the outskirts of Frome. I set up two traps quite far apart, a Skinner with MV bulb and a Heath with 15W actinic.

The Heath trap produced 36 moths of 19 species, the highlights for me being: Peppered moth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Lime Hawkmoth, Figure of eighty, Heart and Club, Ghost moth - male, Poplar Grey and Shark, all those bar the Elephant Hawkmoth were new for me.

The Skinner trap produced 120 moths of 50 species (some got away), with highlights for me being: Bordered Straw, Buff Arches (probably my favourite moth of the night), Clouded Border, Coronet, Mottled Beauty, May Highflier, Small Angle Shades, Iron Prominent and Green Arches.

At last a Bordered Straw, flying round the garden this morning. FFY in the trap last night, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Light Arches, Heart & Club, Eudonia lacustrata, Codling Moth and FFG - a Lychnis.

A postscript to yesterday's posting. Finally tally was 106 moths of 46 species. Additional FFG were Adela reamurella and Apple Leaf Miner. Garden list now 442.

Alerted by a neighbour, found a Small Eggar larval web in a nearby hedge - half a dozen larvae sunbathing on top.  I wonder if they are the offspring of the adult I trapped in April ?

A further 38 moths rounded up this evening, but only 6 additional species.  Totals now 213 of 49.

The busiest night so far produced 377 macros of 59 different species. The majority were made up of 125 Heart and Darts and 62 Small Square Spots. Best of the rest were Grey Arches and Common Lutestring. Neither are regular in my garden with Grey Arches being only my 3rd record and Common Lutestring being my 4th.
I was hoping a few nights off would give the migrants a chance to roam but I still recorded 9 Small Mottled Willows and 6 Bordered Straws.

Another good session last night, with 102 moths of 46 species (some micros still to be sorted).

Best were a garden first, Broad-barred White, and another Bordered Straw. FFY were Codling Moth, Eudonia mercurella, Oak Hook-tip, Green Pug, Clouded Border, Willow Beauty, Brussels Lace, Large Yellow Underwing, Purple Clay, The Sycamore (only my second record, the first being in 2012) and Dark Arches. Heart & Dart still the most numerous, though Heart & Club catching up.

2 Six-spot Burnets and a Meadow Brown in the orchard yesterday.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 12.8 degrees

127 moths of 39 species including FFY - Yellow Shell, Dot Moth, Light Emerald, Mottled Rustic, Dusky Brocade.

A busy morning - 175 moths so far, of 43 species. Lots of FFY - Dark Arches (2), Riband Wave (non-banded form), Beautiful Hook-tip, Willow Beauty (2), Large Yellow Underwing (2), Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Light Emerald (quite tatty), Poplar Grey (only 2 shades), Rustic Shoulder-knot, and micros Udea prunalis, Udea olivalis, Ringed China-mark, & Epinotia bilunana (2). A second Bordered Straw appeared, this one has clearly been around for a while, as its thorax was completely bald.

There will be a few escapees to collect this evening, as usual.  The hungry tame blackbird managed to winkle his way in throught the netting I put in place to deter him, so it's back to the drawing-board. A finer mesh is clearly called for I think (or an air-gun !!)

A stunning male Privet Hawk Moth which startled me when I turned over the last egg tray in the trap.  Also a Brussels Lace confirmed by Robin Clatworthy.  Bit of a IT dinosaur so haven't attached a photo.

A little breezy last night but from only 109 moths I had 54 species. My one NFG was the micro Blastodacna hellerella and six FFYs were: Coronet, Eyed Hawkmoth, Treble Brown Spot, Heart and Club, Barred Straw, and Flounced Rustic.

Species trapped by Robin Clatworthy (garden) from 9th May to 11th June: 111 macro species over 22 nights.  Plus Humming Bird Hawk Moths by day.

Brimstone Moth, Small Phoenix, May Highflyer, Brindled Beauty, Swallow Prominent, Pale Tussock, Hebrew Character, Clouded Drab, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, Brown-line Bright Eye, Yellow-barred Brindle, Garden Carpet, Scorched Carpet, Waved Umber, Mullein, Pale Pinion, Chocolate-tip, White Ermine, Scalloped Hazel, Spectacle, Pebble Prominent, Cinnabar, Lime Hawk-moth, Pale Mottled Willow, Treble Lines, Muslin Moth, Early Grey, Nut-tree Tussock, Common Marbled Carpet, Iron Prominent, Vines Rustic, Straw Dot, Foxglove Pug, Poplar Hawk Moth, Pebble Prominent, Buff-tip, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Clouded Border, Common Pug, Oak-tree Pug, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Heart and Dart, Green Carpet, Common Wave, Broken-barred Carpet, Knot Grass, Grey Pug, Brown Silver-line, Light Emerald, Red Twin-spot Carpet, V Pug, Mottled Pug, Chinese Character, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Grey Dagger, Alder Kitten, Satyr Pug, Lychnis, Angle Shades, Burnished Brass, Small Waved Umber, Cabbage Moth, Poplar Kitten, Small Square-spot, Peppered Moth, Grey Pine Carpet, Shears, Marbled Minor, Large Yellow Underwing, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Elephant Hawk-moth, Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Eyed Hawk-moth, Silver Y, Striped Hawk-moth, Small Angle Shades Bordered Straw(13 individuals to date),, Dark Sword-grass, Barred Hook-tip, Orange Footman, Sandy Carpet, Rivulet, Snout, Purple Bar, Dark Arches, Figure of Eighty, Small Dusty Wave, The Shark, Beautiful Golden Y, Small Mottled Willow, Blood-vein, Willow Beauty, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Common Wainscot, Mottled Rustic, Green Pug, Common Swift, Poplar Grey, Flame, Lobster Moth, Heart & Club, Middle-barred Minor, Sallow Kitten, Green Silver-lines,

Martin Evans and I trapped last night up on the side of the cliffs in Bourton Combe. It was windy, from the west but we managed to find some sheltered spot . The temperature stayed at 13oC. We trapped from 9.55-12.45 with 1x20w compact fluorescent and a 2x20w compact fluorescent. 36 species included: Green Arches 3, Grey Arches 3, Brindled White-spot 4, Mottled Beauties 12 (including a stunning conversaria form with the black band across), Clay Triple-lines 2, Green Silver-lines 1, Small Yellow Wave1, Small White Wave 1, Shoulder-striped Wainscot 1, Peach Blossom 1, Marbled White-spot 1,

And Martin just stopped a Deer Tick invading some private part he doesn't wish to discuss.

Martin Evans and I trapped on the 15th between 10-1.45. It was cold (7oC) under clear skies as we turned the traps on but warmed up as cloud rolled in and was 12oC after midnight. We used 1x20W compact fluorescent and 2x20W compact fluorescent traps. 52 species. Highlights include: Lead-coloured Pugs 2, Four-dotted Footman 4, Broom Moths 10, Brown Rustics 15, Gold Swift 1, Map-winged Swifts 3, Beautiful Brocades 7, Alder Moth 3, Pyla fiscal 1, Shaded Pug 1, Clouded-bordered Brindle 2, Barred Umber 1, Clouded Buff 2 males, Brown Silver-lines 100+ which could have been 200, Diamond-back Moths 2 (our only migrants)

Plus a nice Deer Tick, found the next morning. I've just been checked over for Lyme's Disease of which I am clear, or I was but now the cycle starts again. Martin had one last week as well.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 11.2 degrees

72 moths of 34 species including FFY - Bee Moth, Figure of Eighty and two Ghost Moths one male and one female.

Highlights for today here in Bath include Small Angle shades and Varied Coronet and this beautiful female Adela croesella found it's way into my shed.

I had a successful trapping at each of the above gardens in Frome on Saturday evening. At home I had few moths (13 moths of 10 species) but one of those was a Pearly Underwing (many thanks to Paul Wilkins for confirmation).

At Mum's garden, I had a larger haul, 93 moths of 29 species. Highlights and firsts for me were: Scorched Wing (1), Clouded Silver (2), Pheonix (1), Dark Arches (1), Freyer's Pug (1) (thanks again to Paul for confirmation), Udea Olivalis (1) Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix (1).

Simon Fairweather trapped this female Bedstraw Hawk-moth Hyles galii at Combwich on the night of 12th June. Thanks to Simon for the photo and to Nigel Cottle for putting him in touch with me.

A clear night, with some breeze but a decent catch, with 66 moths of 24 species. FFG was Mompha subbistrigella and FFY were Dipleurina lacustrata, Udea Olivalis, Middle-barred Minor and The Snout.

When I first looked into then trap I noticed an interesting-looking pale Silver Y type moth but it wasn't until the end of the session that I relocated it. I was amazed to see Ni Moth, definitely an FFG! A strikingly pale moth when outside.  I had trouble keeping it quite enough to photograph but after a fridge session managed to grab some photos.

It's been an amazing seven days here!

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 8.9 degrees

57 moths of 28 species including one FFY - a Mottled Beauty.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10 .9 degrees

120 moths of 36 species including FFY - Pale Mottled Willow (P. clavipalpis) and Square-spot Rustic which Mapmate points out is early!!

A gorgeous bright Peach Blossom and a Clouded Border amongst the usual.

A great night, with around 100 moths of some 42 species, with a few micros to sort out. I finally managed to record my first Bordered Straw for the garden! FFY were Celypha lacunana, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Small Magpie (4), Elephant Hawk-Moth, Lobster Moth, The Flame (4), Cabbage Moth, Mottled Rustic, Burnished Brass and The Fan-foot. Also of interest was another Poplar Hawk-Moth and 3 more Pale Tussocks. It's been a good year for the latter, of which I've recorded 10 so far (normally 1-4 a season).

It's been a superb week here, with four species of Hawk-Moth, plus migrant Rush Veneer, Bordered Straw and Dark Sword-Grass. Hummingbird Hawk-Moth has almost become daily now.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 11.0 degrees

Over a hundred moths of 30 species including, FFY - Blood Vein, Purple Bar and Ingrailed Clay. Also another Bordered Straw. Clearing the trap on the last few days has been made more difficult by the close attention of our garden Robin!

The best catch of the year (155 moths of 55 species) although at first glance the trap seemed quite sparsely populated. Two new species: Beautiful China-mark* seemingly not recorded locally, and a Dioryctria sp. - possibly abietella? The NFYs were: Riband Wave, Small Fan-foot, Willow Beauty, Light Arches, Middle-barred Minor, Red-barred Tortrix, Uncertain, and very pleasingly two species that I didn't record here last year: Lobster Moth and a Shoulder-striped Wainscot. Migrants were: Bordered Straw (3), Dark Sword-grass, Rush Veneer and a Diamond-back Moth.

* unfortunately the Beautiful China-mark died before I could photograph it.

A busy (for here) night, with 134 moths, 37 species, plus a few escapees to be rounded up this evening.  Migrants quite well represented too, with Bordered Straw (first since 2006), FFY Diamond-back Moth (2), Rusty-dot Pearl and Silver Y (3). One of these was quite dark, with a very fine thin "y" .  Other FFY were Ghost Moth, Straw Dot (3), Brussels Lace, Eudonia lacustrata, and Crambus perlella. My release of the catch was monitored very closely by a tame blackbird - I shall have to find a way of deterring him from swiping 'my' moths for his breakfast (Or should that be "beakfast" ?) !!

Busiest night of the year so far with 280 Macros and 58 different species. Most numerous were Heart and Dart (111) and Small Square Spot (34).  Best of the catch was a Shaded Pug which is described as rare and very local in Somerset. Apart from a couple of records on the coast in 2009 all the other recent records seem to be from this small area at the base of Ham Hill.
Migrants were again well represented with 5 Bordered Straws, 8 Small Mottled Willows, 3 Dark Sword Grass, 3 Silver Ys and a Pearly Underwing. I have now trapped for 3 nights in a row and will let the moths have a couple of nights off to give them a chance to continue migrating all over the county.

The Small Eggars recorded around Frome earlier this year have been busy.  Their offspring are in the process of defoliating blackthorn.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 13.3 degrees

150 moths of 40 species including FFY - Small Elephant (which we rarely get here) Purple Clay, Burnished Brass, Shark, Small Fan-foot, Peppered Moth f.insularia, and a Small Mottled Willow. Migrants are doing well. We also had another Bordered Straw.

An interesting few days in the garden, with several new micros. Firstly, Bryotropha terrella, Elachista argentella and Dichrorampha alpinana on the evening of the 10th. Then Dichrorampha alpinana (again), Olinda schumacherana (x2), and Bucculatrix nigricomella (x5) on the 11th.

Then, an excellent night with the trap on the 12th, 135 moths of 48 species. New for the year were: Diamond - Backed Moth and Small Mottled Willow (my only migrants) and White Pinion-Spotted, Clouded Silver, Green Pug, The Miller, Garden Carpet, Elephant Hawk, Light Emerald, Scorched Wing, Foxglove Pug, Puss Moth, Vine's Rustic, Udea olivealis, Common Wave, Lobster, Gothic and May Highflier. 2 micros: Notocelia cynosbatella and Syndemis musculana were new for the garden.

Dichrorampha alpinana on cultuivated Leucanthemum in the garden this morning.

Certainly the biggest catch of the year over 150 moths of 53 sps. Apart from the exitement of the Ni, Rush Veneer, Diamond Back and lots of Straw Dots. Common Swift and Small Sq.Spot the commonest. FFYs, Elephant and Eyed HMs, Ghost Moth, Figure of 80, Brussel's Lace, Willow Beauty, Barred white (a FFG), Uncertain, Thistle Ermine, Codling Moth, Beautiful Plume,Plutella porectella,Small Magpie, Red-barred Tortrix and a Beautiful China Mark. Nice Small Mottled Willows Ian, Bordered Straws haven't made it here yet - I could so easily have missed the Ni too amongst the Silver Ys, as you say something just didn't seem right!

Finally got to Grips with the catch. Over 150 moths of 35 sps. Escaping too fast from my small portable actinic to count accurately. Commonest- Ingrailed Clay >25, Common Swift >20, Mottled Beauty >12, other FFYs, Lobster, Common Lutestring, Scorched Wing, Blood Vein, Flame Carpet, Spruce Carpet, Common Wave, Burnished Brass, Dark Arches, and Brown Rustic. An interesting micro of Norway Spruce, Epinotia tedella, which has no previous records for this area.

A very wet catch this morning with several unidentifiable stragglers having to be saved from drowning . Is anbody else catching Small Mottled Willows? I had another 10 here last night along with 2 Bordered Straws.
Sue, your NI Moth is very exciting. Last week I had a moth I identified as a Silver Y but it flew off as soon as I opened the trap. At the time I thought of Ni Moth as it didn't look 100% right for Silver Y but dismissed it as too unlikely. I had forgotten about it but I am now regretting not talking more care!

Still trying to sort out the phenomenal Moth-fest that was last night. First For me a Ni Moth.

My first trapping at home for quite a while produced 31 moths of 16 species as follows: Heart and Dart (8), Small Square-spot (2), Cinnabar (1), Common Marbled Carpet (2), Broken-barred Carpet (1), Spruce Carpet (1), The Flame (1), Elephant Hawkmoth (1), Green Pug (1), Middle-barred Minor (2), LBAM (2), Bee Moth females (4), Garden Pebble (1) Udea olivalis (1), Red-barred Tortrix (1), Cherry Bark Tortrix (2).

Young Wood-6th June I went with Robin Clatworthy on an unscheduled visit on a (rare!) warm night and the intended species duly turned up; Pauper Pug(16) - all in Robin’s traps!(photos - top and underside), Lunar Thorn (11)(Photo), Little Thorn(1). Other highlights were; Devon Carpet(2), Barred Umber(1), Little Emerald(5), Bloomer’s Rivulet(6), Clay Triple-lines(1),Common Lutestring(6), Alder Moth(2), Great Prominent(1), Large Nutmeg(1), Cream-spot Tiger(1). Altogether 67 macro species and 6 micro species.

Thurlbear Wood 4th June not anything significant to add to Nigel’s Little Thorn and Altenia scriptella except that numbers wise Mocha’s were out in force at 42 counted, just pipping Green carpet (41) for the top spot.  Altogether 51 Macro Species and 12 Micro species.(this from only Mike and Nigel, with one trap apiece – my generator behaved strangely and was turned off after only 25 minutes)
Home –last night An exceptionally good night as it produced my 1st Striped Hawkmoth and 1st Bordered Straw!  40 macro species with Minor Agg. (20), Heart and Dart (18) and Middle-barred Minor(13) the most numerous. 10 micro species including Rush Veneer(2), plus a few I’m still trying to Id.

I was unable to trap last night but at dusk there were half a dozen Silver Y and two Bordered Straw nectaring on Red Valerian - photos of Bordered Straws to follow.

Bordered Straw Heliothis armigera nectaring

Bordered Straw Heliothis armigera leaving Red Valerian flowers.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 13 9 degrees

Easily the best night's catch of the year to date with 186 moths of 43 species including FFY - Lobster (3), Peach Blossom, Common Wave, Dark Arches, Small Yellow Wave, Snout and the migrant Noctuella. We also had 8 Elephant Hawk moths, a record number for us!

I was half expecting a bonanza last night, in view of the warm temperatures, but it didn't really happen.  81 moths in total, of 30 species.  FFY were Elephant Hawkmoth (2), Blood Vein, Small Clouded Brindle, Eudonia pallida, and Common Marbled Carpet (2).  There's also a micro awaiting confirmation.

Not as good a night as I was expecting, nonetheless 100 moths of 50 species isn't bad here for this year. Migrants were well in evidence with Bordered Straw (2 again), Silver Y (2), Rush Veneer (2) and a Diamond-back. Macro FFY's were: Straw Dot (3), Elephant Hawkmoth, Broad-barred White, Figure of Eighty, Burnished Brass, Alder and a Common Wainscot. It was also very pleasing to get my third Small Elephant Hawkmoth of the year. Lots of micros (still to be photographed and identified) including a Thistle Ermine and Small Magpie.

A Bedstraw Hawkmoth was trapped in Combwich last night by Simon Fairweather. Reported on Twitter with photograph.

The best night of the year so far but the wind and the rain stopped it being the really good night that I was anticipating. 208 Macros of 50 different species with the highlight being only my second ever Striped Hawk Moth. I was beginning to feel I had missed out on them. Other migrants were a Silver Y, 6 Bordered Straws and 3 Small Mottled Willows.
On the Atropos page in early Spring a contributor who was trapping in Spain predicted the Bordered Straw invasion based on the numbers he was catching there. That has turned out to be a very good prediction.
Best of the rest were 2 Figure of Eightys, Grey Pine Carpet, Miller and Maiden's Blush.

Finally managed a picture of a couple of members of the Dichrorampha alpinana colony on my garden Oxeye Daisies.

45 moths of 16 species last night. 4 FFY - Double Line, Buff Tip, Shoulder - Striped Wainscot and LYU. A neighbour has told me that there are 100s of defoliated oak trees in Shepherds Combe, Quantocks ( best viewed looking down from Hare Knap). Apparently the culprit is the larvae of the Mottled Umber- Erannis defoliaria.

55 moths of 18 species last night. After the excitement of a couple of nights ago, a much more mundane session, with no new for year but nice to have another Poplar Hawk-Moth and Rush Veneer. Heart and Dart now in the ascendency, with 24 recorded.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 11.1 degrees

With the warmer night I had hoped for better things but we only had 63 moths of 16 species with one FFY - a Treble Brown Spot.

A female Taleporia tubulosa emerged yesterday from a reared larvae collected from North Newton.

Worley was a disaster, just 2 Heart & Darts, 1 Straw Dot, a Large spider and 2 wings! (kit tested OK). The Garden was marginally better, 34 Small Sq.Spot, 7 Heart & Dart, 1 Poplar Hawk Moth, 1 Com.Mbled Carpet, 1 Mbled Min.Agg, 1 White Ermine, 1 Vine's Rustic and a micro yet to be IDd. At least you got something interesting Nigel.

Broad-barred White FFG otherwise not-a-lot.

Probably shouldn't have tried trapping last night, as it was quite windy, but I was surprised to find 34 moths in the traps this morning - I was half expecting about 10 !!  Nothing new however, and there were 25 Small Square-spots, and 4 Heart & Darts. Otherwise, 2 Buff Ermines and singletons of Silver-ground Carpet, White Ermine and Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 6.7 degrees.

Only 35 moths of 17 species including FFY - Pale Shouldered Brocade and Mottled Pug (2).

Nigel - it looks to me like the Dichroramphas in general are under-recorded, probably because they do not come to light and like many micros are too inconspicuous to attract attention by day.  In the case of alpinana in particular this is a shame as it is a very pretty moth.  Because it is too small to be identified by eye (even to genus) one needs the right equipment, as well - a net and specimen tubes would be helpful as photographing these incredibly flighty moths otherwise is a tricky business.

I have found it in a bunch of sites this year, all of which are broadly post-industrial.  The linking factors are masses of foodplant and usually a good deal of scrub nearby, particularly to the north, probably to provide shelter. Away from post-industrial sites, ox-eye daisy is a bit sporadic in occurrence in this part of the county, but abundant where it occurs.  Many of the wider road verges have lots - there are masses lining the Frome by-pass, for instance - but I am not yet obsessed enough to look for the moth there.  In the farmed landscape I rarely run across the plant.

An excellent night last night, with 55 moths of 26 species. It turned out to be migrant night with FFY Rush Veneer and Dark Sword-Grass and my very first Striped Hawk-Moth (4th Hawk-Moth species in 3 days!). Also FFY were Tachystola acroxantha, Freyer's Pug (one of 5 pug species), Sharp-angled Peacock, Heart and Club, Double Square-spot, The Miller, a probable Tawny Marbled Minor and The Uncertain (2). Biggest numbers were of Heart and Dart (21).

It's nights like last night that make up for the bad ones!

Another 2 Bordered Straws last night.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 7.2 degrees

A hundred moths of 25 species including FFY - Flame Carpet, Coronet, Small Angle-shades and Scorched Carpet.

I first noticed Dichrorampha alpinana on the Oxeye Daisies in my garden on 6.6.14 when six were seen. This year's adults have now started to emerge; two individuals flying yesterday evening. I also saw three at Bishopswood Meadows on 2.6.14. This species is described as 'Rare and Very Local' but if it's in my small garden on a modern housing estate then it must be surely be more widespread/common than the few records suggest. They fly in the sun and at dusk and can be seen sitting on the flowers of Oxeye Daisies.

My first Hummingbird Hawk-Moth of the year in the garden this morning, feeding on Valerian - my 70th record here. Looking back at previous records, it's not surprising so many feature Valerian, a brilliant plant for nectar feeders.

Trapped at Netherclay for four hours last night. 156 moths of 40 species was pretty good taking into account clear skies and how the temperature dropped - I was wearing several layers and a woolly hat! A Rusty-dot Pearl was the only immigrant. 246 Tinea semifulvella and Lychnis were site firsts. Went back this afternoon to release those I'd taken home to ID in daylight and saw a couple of 148 Nemophora degeerella 'dancing', another new species for the site.

I caught this pug Thursday night and despite checking books and internet can't identify it. It is very plain and the closest I can find is Lead-coloured but very few have been caught in this area. Any comments or suggestions please.

c11 Small Blues found including a copulating pair during yesterday's BCSomerset fieldtrip to Stoke Camp. Moth interest was provided by: Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Silver Y, Speckled Yellow, Mother Shipton, Yellow Shell, Burnet Companion, Large & Small Yellow Underwing, Cydia ulicetana and dozens of Crambus perlella.

At Haddon Hill, yesterday afternoon, Olethreutes Arcuella and 2 Wood Tigers, along with 14 Heath Fritillaries in very good nick and 10 Green Hairstreaks.

3 Chimney Sweeper and a Small Yellow Underwing at Clatworthy along around 20 Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries in very windy conditions on Saturday.

Apologies for a very belated report for the extremely mild night last Thursday. The stats were: 116 moths of 54 species of which 38 were macros and 16 micros (some still to be identified). Migrants were represented with Rush Veneer (2) and a Diamond-back. NFY macros were Large Yellow Underwing, Knot Grass, Light Emerald (2), Scorched Carpet, Spruce Carpet, Sharp-angled Peacock, Pebble Hook-tip and only my second Broken-barred Carpet. Undoubtedly the star of the show was a beautiful Alabonia geoffrella and a Monopis laevigella described as 'Rare and very local' and kindly confirmed by James McGill.



Update: James has now confirmed three more micros new to the garden from June 4th: Argyresthia cupressella, Syndemis musculana and Bactra furfurana.

Wood Tiger on Westbury Beacon today.  It flew over the gorse and then an Emperor Dragonfly appeared.  I feared the worst but the moth turned up safe and sound very shortly afterwards.  Plenty of Burnet Companions up there, too; this species seems to be having a good year.

Clear and much cooler last night so fewer moths - 20 of 14 species. The quality was good though with FFY Eyed and Poplar Hawk-Moths, Ingrailed Clay (3), The Lychnis and Beautiful Golden Y. Always good to get the first Hawk-Moths of the year!

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 5.8 degrees

34 moths of 15 species including FFY - Eyed Hawk moth (2) and Knot-grass.

A few NFY last night; Willow Beauty, Brussels Lace, Grey Pug, Puss Moth and Burnished Brass And a FFG; Broad-barred White (photo).

Chris - the Purple Hairstreak larva is still eating!

A much colder night again, so a mere 27 moths last night, of 14 species.  The only FFY were Vine's Rustic (3), and a sadly deceased Eyed Hawkmoth, still hanging on to the egg-box.

A better night here too, 40 moths of 19 spS, FFYs, Mullein, Peppered, Large Yellow Underwing, Bright-line Brown eye, Pale Mottled Willow and Privet HM. Small Square-spot (16) seem to be plentiful everywhere. Nice to hear another Striped HM has arrived in Somerset.

Hi Liz,

Not sure if Purple Hairstreaks are the same as White-letters, but when the latter go that colour they are about to pupate, so if you still have it you should get the butterfly fairly soon.

Some migrants about this afternoon at Stockhill - Silver Y and a very worn Painted Lady, as well as Green Hairstreaks nectaring on bluebell.  Bizarrely, a Common Heath I saw there appears to be the first record for the 10km square since 1989.

A postscript to yesterday's posting. Additions are an FFY Bee Moth and an FFG Glyphipterix fuscoviridella (the latter so tiny that I had to crop a photo heavily to ID it).

Still waiting for results for Thurlbear wood but in the meantime I saw Robin Clatworthy who had had a Striped Hawk-moth on the same night, plus a Bordered Straw - as Ian says; a good time for migrants. Taking a leaf (almost literally) out of Chris Iles's book, I've taken to searching the leaves of fallen twigs - on a rather squashed lot on the path at Mount Fancy I found a Purple Hairstreak caterpillar.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 6.5 degrees

30 moths of 17 species including FFY - Brown-line Bright-eye and Least Black Arches. We also had another Bordered Straw !

Two of four 1st instar Puss Moth larvae found this evening on the edges of Asham Wood near Frome.

Back in early spring I collected numerous leaf mines of Ectoedemia heringella 4.088 (BF36a) found on Evergreen Oak from various sites around the Bath area. The first adult emerged today and at just 2.5mm long has to be one of the smallest moths I have encountered.

This species is a newcomer to Britain and was first found in London in 2002, I first found it in Bath in early 2014 but going by the numbers I have found on mature Evergree Oaks here in Bath it seems to be well and truly established with at least three or four or more larvae to a leaf meaning there would be literally thousands of larva on one tree similar to the numbers of Cameraria ohridella found on a mature Horse Chestnut.

(Hi Chris, try Dichrorampha aeratana or D. plumbana for your Tortrix from the other day)

Night of the hawk moths last night - 5 Poplars, 1 Elephant and a very worn Lime.  Glad I'm self-employed - I don't think the excuse 'sorry, I'm late - had to sort my moths' would fair very well with an employer!

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11.2 degrees

Like others we had an excellent night's trapping with 63 moths of 35 species including FFY - Sallow Kitten, Common Carpet, Middle-barred Minor, Fox-glove Pug, a small Magpie and U.olivalis. We also had a second Bordered Straw.

A good night last night, with 43 moths of 24 species (plus a few micros to sort out). FFY were Brown House-Moth (!), Small Phoenix, Mottled Pug, Peppered Moth, Buff Ermine (2), Small Square-spot (2) and a probable Marbled Minor.

Liz, Mike and I trapped at Thurlbear Wood for four hours last night. My 125w MV Skinner attracted 168 moths of 42 species including single examples of Little Thorn and the nationally rare and declining Gelechiid 766 Altenia scriptella. No doubt Liz will post a fuller report in due course.

Altenia scriptella

Likewise, a very productive night here too. 91 moths of 29 species, including FFY Middle-barred (3) and Marbled(agg.) (7) Minors, Burnished Brass, Common Swift (4), Chrysoteuchia culmella (2), Dog's Tooth, Mottled Pug, Common Wainscot (2), Buff Ermine, Flame (2), Agapeta hamana, Small Waved Umber, Rusty-dot Pearl (2), Bee Moth, and Notocelia(listed on MapMate as Epiblema) cynosbatella. Far and away the commonest were 31 Small Square-spots, which are clearly having a very good year.  Also of interest to non-moth loving entomologists/naturalists were a Cockchafer, an Ichneumon Wasp and a Great Sedge Caddis Fly.  Quite a motley collection !

I was on holiday for a couple of weeks in May and have been waiting for a decent night to catch up with a lot of the common species I missed whilst I was away. Last night was easily the best night of the year and my best migrant night since 2006.
109 macros in total of 41 different species with lots of firsts for the year including Gold Spot, Small Fan-foot, Sandy Carpet and Alder Moth.
I also recorded 3 Bordered Straws, my first since 2006, 5 Small Mottled Willows, the most in a year since 2006, a Pearly Underwing and a Silver Y. I have also just seen a Red Admiral in the garden.
Migrants have been thin on the ground in the last 10 seasons and this is hopefully the start of a very exciting time.

By far the best night of the year so far - min temp 13˚C, light winds, cloudy. Well over 100 individuals of 63 species inc. Ruddy Highflyer and 3 migrants - a Bordered Straw and two Rush Veneer. Hope this is a portent of better things!

No trapping for over a week since I've been away - hoping to get going again tonight! I had a Pyrausta aurata, Silver-ground Carpet and Green Carpet in the garden yesterday.

Had my first Painted Lady of the year on our allotment site this morning, favouring strawberry plant flowers.

First trapping for over a week, due to a combination of lousy weather and other activities.  Almost wasn't worth it, with only 9 moths in the two traps.  However, there were 3 FFY - Poplar Hawk, Spectacle & Large Nutmeg. This last seems to be largely more common in the southern half of the County, and has appeared here regularly every year since I moved here in 2005, apart from 2014.

Can anyone offer an ID for this tortrix, photographed last week?  It was flying alongside a number of Dichrorampha alpinana over stacks of the latter's foodplant, ox-eye daisy, but doesn't appear to be a weakly marked member of that species to me. 

Grass Rivulet in reasonable numbers at Bath Golf Course and at Edford Meadows; an abundance of Chimney Sweeper at the latter as well as Yellow Shell and Straw Dot - a species I come across a lot less often than I did only a few years back. Also loads of these little micros flying around the rushes - Glyphipterix thrasonella

The White-letter Hairstreak whose larva I posted a picture of on 25 April emerged today and flew strongly into the distance.

FFY Holly Blue & Small Copper butterflies out in the sunshine earlier today.  Later on, a somewhat unwelcome Large White - presumably waiting for my brassica seedlings to get bigger.

A better night, after some very poor sessions, with 50 moths of 28 species. Nothing new for the garden except for a Parornix species. Highlights included: Small Elephant Hawkmoth, Puss Moth, Seraphim, May Highflyer (2), Mocha, Celypha strianga and, a record, three Scalloped Hazels.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 9.7 degrees

Very windy at dusk but calm by dawn. 36 moths of 19 species including FFY- Sharp-angled Peacock, Marbled Minor (2), and an exciting migrant a Bordered Straw.

I checked mine Paul- its covered too. At least its more interesting than my trap last night. Just a handful of Macros and 3 FFY Micros, Lathronympha strigana, Mompha subbistrigella and a Crambus lathoniellus. First day of summer!

Found this larval case of the Bagworm 186 Psyche casta near B. Hull today. Described as 'Occasional and Very Local' but, again, I wouldn't be at all surprised if it is just being overlooked.

Just found 10 Mullein larvae on (surprise, surprise) 2 mullein plants.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 6.3 degrees and very windy.

Only 14 moths of 6 species including one FFY - a Spruce Carpet.