Despite the rain that wasn't forecast, and the breeze, I had 114 moths of 56 species. New for the year: Buff Arches (3), Common Footman (2), Elephant Hawkmoth (2), Pine Carpet, Yellow Shell, Sycamore, Lilac Beauty, Barred Yellow, Campion, Dot Moth, Light Arches, Uncertain, Common Rustic, Coleophora mayrella, Pandemis cerasana, Phlyctaenia coronata, Epiblema uddmanniana, and Ditula angustiorana. I also had a NFG earlier today - a Six-spot Burnet in the water butt. Paul will be impressed! I also had my second Marbled White Spot of the year having never found one here previously.

Thank you, John. Ringed China-mark is a new species for me. We have some lakes about 600 metres away so I sometimes get aquatic species that I'm not familiar with!

Just over 100 moths so far, of 39 species.  FFY were Cypress Carpet, Pretty Chalk Carpet, Reddish Light Arches, Dark/Grey Dagger, Drinker, Clay, Clepsis consimilana, and Bird-cherry Ermine.  More to come this evening, as usual.

Looks like a female Ringed China-mark Parapoynx stratiotata to me, Rob.

Trapping here is poor and there is nothing nectaring on our prolifically flowering Honeysuckles. A few SIlver Y on the Red Valerian most evenings.

On Monday night I recorded 48 moths of 27 species. FFY were Ghost Moth (female), Chrysoteuchia culmella (6), Buff Arches, Single-dotted Wave, Grey Pug and Peppered Moth. Ghost Moth is virtually annual here but I have yet to record a male. There was also a moth that I had trouble with - see photo. Does anyone have any ideas, please?

I've recorded 132 species so far this year, compared to 171 for the same period last year.

Further to Sue's excellent pictures here is the list of species recorded on Monday Priddy Mineries 27th June 2016

Micropterix aruncella F M. callthella F Glyphipterix thrasonella 1 Coleophora frischella M Mompha conturbatella F larvae in E. angustifolium - ID to be confirmed M. subbistrigella 1 Merrifieldia leucodactyla F Aphelia paleana S larvae on grasses and Plantago Eupoecilia angustana F Hedya nubiferana 1 Bactra lancealana 1 Dichrorampha petiverella 1 D. plumbagana F Adscita geryon S Cistus Forester Zygaena lonicerae F Narrow-bordered 5 spot Burnet O. sylvanus S Large Skipper C. pamphilus S Small Heath M. jurtina F Meadow Brown M. galathea 1 Marbled White B. selene F Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary A. aglaia 1 Dark Green Fritillary P. icarus S Common Blue Chrysoteuchia culmella M Crambus lahoniellus 1 C. perlella S Xanthorhoe montanata 1 Silver-ground Carpet Camptogramma bilineata F Yellow Shell Epirrhoe alternata F Common Carpet Colostygia pectinataria 1 Green Carpet Odezia atrata M Chimney Sweeper Callimorpha dominula F Scarlet Tiger Atolmis rubricollis 1 Red-necked Footman Euclidia glyphica F Burnet Companion Autograph gamma F Silver Y Oligia fasciuncula F Middle-barred Minor

1 = 1 F = 1-5 S = 5-15 M = >15

Lovely summer interval for the SMG outing to Stockhill/Priddy. The micro list will materialise in due course but we also saw some interesting macros. Forester agg. Five-spot Burnet agg. A Red-necked Footman nectaring on Valerian, common and Green Carpets, Yellow Shell and loads of Chimney Sweepers. Also 3 Small Pearl-bordered Frits.

Two things of interest yesterday. I found this Psychidae larval case in my garden - would I be right in thinking it is Phyche casta?  I also found a male Gem fluttering low around the fruit trees at Taunton Garden Centre.

Still not getting big numbers, presumably the nights are a bit too chilly.  Last night's catch produced only 55 moths so far, of 27 species.  FFY were Double Square-spot, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Uncertain (2), Common Footman, Green Pug, Bramble Shoot Moth (Notocelia uddmanniana), and Eudonia delunella. Maybe more this evening chasing the escapees.

Escapees added 12 to the total, and 2 more species, but nothing exciting.

It's a good day for larvae - this time a Vapourer - ?second instar - 1/2 inch long.  on an ornamental Cornus nuttallii.

I have just found a final instar caterpillar of Mullein Moth on (believe it or not) a Moth Mullein (Verbascum blattaria).  Normally I find them on Common Mullein or Figwort, but this is a first.  I suspect that the caterpillar may have migrated from a large Common Mullein growing close to where I found it, which has been well and truly trashed, presiumably by more larvae which have now left to pupate. The Moth Mullein in our garden is of the white form, and self-seeds itself all over the place, but a few years ago, when I tried to propagate some seeds, nothing came up.  Nature knows best !

104 macros - 32 species.Blue bordered carpet new for here. Peppered moth (4) -1 carbonaria. Lilac beauty (1) Plain golden Y(1) Sharp angled peacock (1) Elephant hawk (2) and the usual suspects. Lots of micros to sort out which will probably take me all week.

First 6-spot Burnet of the year in our orchard.  Also seen on the wing this afternoon Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Small Tortoiseshell (believe it or not, I've not seen one this year before today, althought we did find some caterpillars on nettles last week, so there must have been at least two around earlier !!).

A further 9 moths rounded up last evening, including a site first - a European Corn Borer.

Loads of Silver Y moths around the village at dusk tonight, nectaring on Red Valerian - also a Large Yellow Underwing, hopefully the first of many.

The previously cancelled field trip to search for micro species at Stockhill Wood (Priddy Mineries) has been re-arranged for this coming Monday (27th June) starting in the Forest Commission Car Park off the Old Bristol Road, Nr Priddy (Map Ref. ST548 514) at the later time of 2.00pm.

Anyone is very welcome to come along and it would be good to see you but please bring your boots or stout walking shoes as the ground conditions can be very uneven.

Target species for the afternoon will include:

Epermenia aequidentellus, Carpatolechia alburnella, Acompsia schmidtiellus, Scythris crassiuscula.

Again please keep an eye on this page in case there are any changes due to weather conditions on the day.

Many thanks

Paul

Last night's trapping session was the first for almost two weeks, since I've been away. It was good and produced 93 moths of 38 species. FFY were Celypha striana, Crambus perlella (2), Udea prunalis, Riband Wave,The Phoenix , Barred Straw, Toadflax Pug, Willow Beauty, Common White Wave, Buff-tip, Common Footman, Heart And Club (8), Double Square-spot, Cabbage Moth, Dark Arches, The Uncertain (5) and Plain Golden Y (2).

My first adult Slender Pug emerged from the pupa this morning:

It is on the small side for a pug, but all the same I am bewildered to know what is slender about it - the abdomen is tubbier than that of many other pugs, and much the same was true of the insect as a larva.

Also a freshly emerged Caloptilia stigmatella from a mine/leaf fold on sallow.

My moths are on trend - they voted to leave !!.  Only 26 of 17 species, with only one FFY, a Heart & Club.

First 300 night of the year with 302 macros of 53 species. The first signs of Macro migration with 4 Silver Ys and 3 Dark Sword Grass as well as 2 Painted Ladies in nearby fields today.
Best moth of the night was my first Oblique Carpet since 2012.

Back to reasonable numbers again.  So far, 93 moths of 33 species, including FFY Beautiful Hook-tip, Riband Wave, Crambus perlella(2), and Eudonia lacustrata. Large numbers of Heart & Dart and Chrysoteuchia culmella (it's that time of year). More to come this evening after dusk.

After the evening round-up the total increased to 119 moths, of 37 species. One additional FFY - a Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (Archips podana).

A good mix of species and number of moths, best were Treble Brown Spot and Great Oak Beauty.

Nemophora cupriacella was found at Green Down today by James Spencer. He posted a photo of it on Facebook and I have his permission to reproduce it here.

Plenty of tortricids on the wing in the hay meadows at Edford this evening, but they are difficult to identify - can anyone help?

Dichrorampha plumbagana?

Eucosma sp(?) ovipositing on black knapweed

Eucosma hohenwartiana(?) resting on black knapweed

Had I not been leading I doubt I'd have gone on yesterday's BC Fieldtrip to Haddon Hill. I fully expected to be there on my own but in the event 12 of us turned up. Despite the wet weather we did managed to find two Heath Fritillaries. There was quite a bit of moth interest: If the map is up-to-date then a couple of examples of Aphelia viburnana (Bilberry Tortrix) were the first site records. Also, Smoky Wave, Bilberry Pug, Marbled White Spot, Celypha lacunana and Orthotaenia undulana.

Aphelia viburnana

Unfortunately the planned field trip to Stockhill Wood, Priddy this afternoon (Monday 20th) has been cancelled due to the poor weather conditions. Hopefully this can be rearranged for another day soon.

Paul

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe -Min Temp 10.1 degrees and damp.

92 moths 0f 26 species including FFY - Dusky brocade and Archips podana.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe- Min Temp 9.9 degrees

62 moths of 20 species including - FFY - Grey Arches and True Lovers Knot.

Missed most of the storms so managed 51 spp, including 2-Brussels Lace, Beautiful Hook-tip, 3-Large Nutmeg, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Lychnis, Eyed, Poplar and Large Elephant HMs, Beautiful, Ringed and Small China-mark, Cydia fagiglandana and 3-Eudonia delunella.

Lucky you, Tim !!  All I could muster last night was a total of 23 moths, of 16 species. Two FFY included - Beautiful Golden Y and Celypha striana. A good night for Buff Ermines, with 5 altogether, including one with a very pronounced, and almost continuous, diagonal line of spots. NO Diamond-backs.  One good thing, howerver, it only takes a short time to empty the traps, and breakfast comes before elevenses !!

A quieter night but still 103 moths of 39 species. Highlight was my first Eyed Hawk Moth. Other FFY included Small Magpie ; Beautiful Carpet ; Yellow-barred Brindle ; Willow Beauty ; Light Emerald(2) ; Dark Arches ; Triple-spotted Clay and Double Square-spot(2). The species tally for this year now stands at 177 which is some 36 higher than the same time last year, with almost an identical number of nights trapping.

Here is a reminder that there will be a field trip to search for micro species at Stockhill Wood (Priddy Mineries) this coming Monday (20th June) starting in the Forest Commission Car Park off the Old Bristol Road, Nr Priddy (Map Ref. ST548 514) at 12.00 midday.

Anyone is very welcome to come along and it would be good to see you but please bring your boots or stout walking shoes as the ground conditions can be very uneven.

Target species for the afternoon will include:

Epermenia aequidentellus, Carpatolechia alburnella, Acompsia schmidtiellus, Scythris crassiuscula.

Please keep an eye on this page in case there are any changes due to weather conditions on the day.

Paul

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 12.6 degrees

112 moths of 38 species including FFY - a Purple Bar.

Today I found a dozen examples of Pammene aurana along a roadside verge in my WCBS square near Churchstanton on the Blackdown Hills. These appear to be the first records from ST11 and, looking at the species map, there are very few records from the W/SW of the county - I'd suggest that checking Hogweed (the LHP) umbels might well pay dividends.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10.8 degrees

A damp night followed by a very wet day! 61 moths of 17 species including FFY - a Brussels Lace.

A month ago, I would have been pleased with last night's catch, but after a few good ones, I'm actually a bit disappointed.  Just 45 moths of 17 species, so far, including FFY Pale Mottled WIllow (2).  Well, it was a bit chilly by comparison with recent nights, and the moon's getting bigger, so not too surprising really.

Festoon larva found in garden. Actually fairly easy to spot as the insect was on the white uPVC frame of the garage door!

Like Tim Howard it takes me a few days to sort mine out and I still have a handful of micros still being looked at. 190 moths, 156 macros 40 species new for me were Miller, Shears, Small yellow wave and Cream bordered green pea. Many of the usual suspects Elephant and Privet hawk, Gold spot, Barred straw and Peppered moth.

34 micros of 22 species - half of which are still being worked on! Hope you are not too busy Paul.

The late round-up produced another 19 moths, and 7 more species - totals now 84/33.  Additional FFY were Large Nutmeg,and Common Wave.

It was great weather for the moths! 110 sp. including 18 micro sp. between 3 recorders with 2 actinic and 3 MV traps. Highlight were Cream-bordered Green Pea(21), Marsh Oblique-barred(8), Oblique Carpet(1), Valerian Pug(3), Fox Moth(2), White-pinion Spotted(1), Four-dotted Footman(2), Cream-spot Tiger(1), Striped Wainscot(4), Obscure Wainscot(19), Alder Moth(6), Silky Wainscot(2) and Pinion-streaked Snout(4).

63.063 (1334a) Scoparia basistrigalis was FFG otherwise a fairly quiet night here.

A bit cooler, and some showers 5 - 6 am, so numbers down somewhat.  65 moths so far, of 26 species.  FFY were Brussels Lace, Barred Straw(2), and an early Dark Arches.  No doubt a few more escapees to come later on. 

A bit of a surprise as well, a White-tailed Bumblebee clearly took a wrong turning on the way back to her nest - whether she'll be able to get back in this morning is possibly doubtful - do bumblebees react badly to strays returning ?  I believe honey bees do, but maybe I'm mistaken.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 13.3 degrees and wet

150 moths of 48 species including FFY - a Dot Moth and the West Somerset specialty the Double Line.

Yesterday morning I helped AONB staff with identifying moths caught at two locations on Friday night, including mine. Overall we had 135 moths of 54 species. Highlights included Oak Hook-tip, Small Rivulet, Small Seraphim, Brown Silver-line, Peppered Moth, Light Emerald, Lobster Moth, Cinnabar, The Flame and Green Arches. Elephant Hawk-Moths, Buff-tips and Silver Ys aroused the usual interest from the general public!

My own FFY among 53 moths of 26 species were Celypha lacunana, Treble Brown Spot, Small Rivulet, Mottled Pug, Small Seraphim, The Flame and Silver Y.

I trapped in the back garden until midnight when the rain came. 63 moths visited of 39 species with 15 new for 2016 including: Green Pug, Flame, Riband Wave, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Scorched Wing, and Peppered Moth. I also had two new species for me, a Marbled White Spot and a Water Veneer. Only one Hawkmoth, a Poplar. Earlier in the day I found a Large Tabby (pic) at rest on the side of the house, only my second here.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 14 8 degrees

140 moths of 56 species including FFY - Privet Hawk-moth, Fox-glove Pug and a Fan-foot.

I trapped at Priors Park Wood on the Blackdowns for five hours last night. 339 moths of 85 species (Diamond-back noted as present but not counted). Species caught include: Scalloped Hook-tip, Fox Moth, Marbled White Spot, Map-winged Swift, Beautiful Carpet, Alder Moth, Alder Kitten, Little Emerald, Puss Moth and Grey Arches. I spent most of this afternoon working through the micros, of which there were 13 species: Yarrow Plume, Udea olivalis, Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Eucosma cana, Epermenia falciformis, Syndemis musculana, Scoparia ambigualis, Eudonia lacustrata, Aethes cnicana, Argyresthia conjugella, Lobesia abscisana, Pammene fasciana and Cydia fagiglandana.

Map-winged Swift

Cydia fagiglandana

This Pandemis cerasana larva was found amongst a cluster of fallen wych elm seeds on 22 May.  After pupating a week later, the adult emerged last night.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 13.8 degrees

136 moths of 46 species including FFY - Buff Arches, Green Silver-lines and C.striana.

• A couple of us trapped at some sites in North Somerset recently:
• First was at Walton Moor on 30th May resulting in 88 species including Ptycholoma lecheana, Agonopterix ocellana, Epinotia subocellana and Ancylis mitterbacheriana. Also to light was a rather smart looking Phryganea grandis.
• Second night was Dolebury Warren on 7th June recording 98 species including Shaded Pug, Incurvaria oehlmanniella and Coleophora striatipennella. We also recorded a male Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca.
• Just outside the county in North Devon I recorded Coleophora sylvaticella a species quite likely to be in the county but yet to be recorded it seems and possibly overlooked. Also a trip to Haddon Hill yesterday produced 2 Lead-coloured Pug flying by day and good numbers of Small Purple-barred.

Quite a good catch again - 115 moths so far, of 36 species.  Seven FFY - Large Yellow Underwing, Miller (only my third record here, and the first for 4 years), Eudonia pallida, Grey Tortrix agg., Mottled Beauty, Pale-shouldered Brocade, and Hedya pruniana (Plum Tortrix). A mere 33 Diamond-backs included in the total - has the main influx ended ?

Addendum 10.00pm another 7 moths , 4 more species, including FFY Mottled Rustic, Eudonia lacustrata and Brown Housemoth.

I found this female Ghost Moth roosting in an oak tree today:

The limestone grassland at Odd Down Park & Ride has been colonised by Grass Rivulet - there were a few there this evening, flying alongside Small Blue, and also this Dichrorampha sequana which is an unusual find.

An excellent trapping session last night, with 91 moths of 37 species (both figures highest of the year). There were no less than 18 FFY - Common Swift, Codling Moth, Agriphila straminella, Eudonia lacustrata (2), Flame Carpet, Garden Carpet, Broken-barred Carpet (2, the first since 2012), Yellow-barred Brindle, Scorched Wing, Brussels Lace, Alder Kitten (2), White Ermine (2), Buff Ermine (2), Large Yellow Underwing, Knot Grass, Small Angle Shades, Middle-barred Minor (2) and Burnished Brass.

The other highlight was 10 Pale Tussocks, 6 males and 4 females, most of which were on the house wall. My previous highest count was 3! There were also 13 Diamond-backs.

One of those nights that make it all worthwhile even if it's taken me two days to sort them out. 184 moths ID'd so far(not counting c80 Diamond-back's),of 77 species.There were 32 FFY including 12 FFG (I've not been here quite two years) A few of the better ones : Phtheochroa rugosana (looking like a 'pearly king' ; Figure of eighty ; Small Elephant Hawk Moth ; Mocha ; Broken-barred Carpet(3) ; Devon Carpet ; Marbled Brown ; Brown Rustic ; Grey Arches ; Dogs Tooth ; Shears ; Green Silverlines. There are a handful of micros that may be traveling via cardboard mail in the direction of Paul Wilkins.

Lots of moths, of 42 spp. Hawks- 1 Eyed, 2 Poplar, 4 Elephants, FFYs, Cream-spot Tiger, Large Nutmeg, Blood-vein, Barred Straw, Mottled Beauty, Rustic Shoulder knot, Cypress Carpet, Pine and Grey Pine Carpets, Clouded Silver, Mottled Pug and a female Ghost Moth

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 13.5 degrees

140 moths of 41 species including FFY - Pebble Hook-Tip, Plain Wave, and a new moth for us a Campion.

Hi All In traps yesterday 2 Alchymist, 2 Orache Moth, a Goat Moth, an Orange Upper Wing, a White-veined Moth and several hundred other very interesting moths. Neadless to say I am not in the UK but in the Picos de Europas, Northern Spain. The above wouldn't have been possible without the kindness of Teresa Farino who kindly let me join her moth trapping event.

So far, 95 moths of 36 species - Diamond-backs far fewer (only 19).  9 FFY were Silver Y, RInged China-mark(4), Agapeta hamana, Gold Triangle, Ghost Moth(male), Common Wainscot, Scoparia ancipitella(2), Sharp-angled Peacock, and Scorched Wing.  Sandy Carpet and Orange Footman were good to see, as they have only appeared here a couple of times before.  No Hawk moths this time.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 13 Degrees

105 moths of 44 species including FFY - Eyed Hawk-moth, Shark and Bee Moth.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 13.9 degrees

190 moths of 59 species including FFY - Light Emerald, Ghost moth, Sandy Carpet, Cypress Carpet, Dark Arches, Double square-spot and a Sharp-angled Peacock.

No Pam, Your geometrid moth is much more interesting, it looks like the Rannoch Looper Macaria brunneata, normally a migrant in the south of England.

A change to the previous posting - Meet at 8pm at Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve car park ST45627 43704 on Friday 9th.  Please see events page.

I trapped at Netherclay until 03:00h this morning. Totals, excluding Diamond-back of which there were a lot, were 305 moths of 70 species. I won't bore you with a complete list but the following four species were new to the site list:

• Small Seraphim
• 947 Aethes smeathmanniana
• 1000 Ptycholoma lecheana
• 1438 Acrobasis (Trachycera) suavella

71 moths of 20 species . FFY Lobster Moth and Blood - Vein . 14 White Ermine . 2 Fox Moth . No Hawkmoths yet this week though last week had my 1st of year Elephant , Eyed , Poplar and Lime . Am I correct in thinking the photo I hope to download is a Common Heath ?

A lovely collection last night including another unusual micro, 0196 12.010 Morophaga choragella

After rounding up the strays from this morning, the final total is 132 moths of 38 species (I HAVE included the Diamonds - only 49) Additional FFY were Blood-vein, Scorched Carpet, Udea olivalis(3), and Snout.  Now for bed !

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 13.4 degrees

Over 150 moths (without counting the Diamond backs!) of 52 species including FFY - Snout, Figure of Eighty, Blood-vein, Flame Carpet, Lead Belle, Willow Beauty and a White-point.

bother...no picture attached...I really thought I'd done everything right.  Can anyone help?

I've not thought of these as inquisitive creatures before.  Besides lots of them, I've enjoyed Lime and Eyed Hawk-moths and the general increase in numbers.

Finally passed the 100 mark, but only with the help of 40+ Diamond-backs.  One new for the site, an Ingrailed Clay (generally common, but not here apparently), plus FFY Elephant, Lime and Eyed Hawkmoths, Flame, Middle-barred Minor, Willow Beauty(2), Common Swift, Orange Footman, Straw Dot(2), Chrysoteuchia culmella, Udea prunalis, and the Diamond-backs.  More to come with this evening's round-up of strays.

I have just this morning found two larval "nests" of Small Eggar caterpillars, but strangely on Elm (the same tree), in spite of having long hedges full of Blackthorn and Hawthorn, their usual foodplants.

Also loads of moths - 117 of 40-odd species, and a fair number I have never seen before.  Highlights including Figure of Eighty, Alder Moth, Dingy Shell, Lime Hawk-moth and Grass Rivulet, the last of which I hope will settle down and breed on the good population of yellow rattle developing in the garden.

A bumper night with 50'spp and micros at last. One new to me and an Na sp. 1461 62.047 Assara terebrella.

84* moths of 46 species last night including 17 NFY and 2 NFG. The best were: Seraphim, Small Fan-foot, Small Clouded Brindle, Yellow-barred Brindle and Grapholita janthinana. New for the garden were a Clouded-bordered Brindle and a Meal Moth - a moth I have seen in almost every French house I have stayed in but never seen here. I also trapped on Friday night with 66* moths of 35 species - the highlight being a Peach Blossom, Cypress Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, Middle-barred Minor, Argyresthia cupressella and my first Crambus lathoniellus and Pempeliella dilutella. *Diamond-backs not included - too many.

43 moths of 17 species last night with 2 ffy Small Fan - foot and a Double Line . 10 Treble Lines here . Hope to download a photo of a Puss Moth taken at Steart Marshes on 30 th May . Generally a much better week here .

It was also my best night of the year so far, with 66 moths of 32 species.

FFG were Plutella porrectella (2), Coleophora lineolea (with white antennae) and Shoulder-striped Wainscot . FFY were Brown House-moth (2), Tachystola acroxantha (2), Notocelia cynosbatella (2), Udea olivalis, White-spotted Pug (2), Poplar Hawk-moth (2), Sallow Kitten, Pale Prominent, Ingrailed Clay, Grey Dagger agg, The Coronet and Marbled Minor agg. Also of interest were 8 Diamond-back Moths and 7 Treble Lines (my highest catch of this species).

I've also had Diamond-backs in the garden and on our allotment site.

9Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 14.7 degrees

I agree Ian, the higher temperature also made it the best night of the year so far for us.  We had 135 moths of 55 species and more Diamond-backs than we could count! FFY -Small Yellow Wave, Ruby Tiger, Orange Footman, Rivulet and Small Rivulet, Barred Umber, Garden Pebble, Scorched Wing, Sallow Kitten, Common Wave and Small Fan-foot.

Easily the best night of the year so far with 190 macros of 55 species. Several firsts for the year including 2 Flame Carpets, Lobster Moth, Small Elephant Hawk Moth, Yellow Shell and Figure of Eighty. I also had at least 300 Diamond Backed moths in and around the trap. It's lucky they're so small otherwise there wouldn't be room for anything else.

A further 5 "escapee" moths from last night's catch rounded up this evening, total now 33 from 18 species.  Additional FFY were Setaceous Hebrew Character and Cyclamen Tortrix (Clepsis spectrana).

82 moths of 32 identified species and a few micros that still need working on. Nine further FFY including : Poplar Hawk Moth(1) ; Elephant Hawk Moth(2) ; Common Marbled Carpet(7) ; Clouded Silver(1) ; Straw Dot(1) ; Cinnabar(1) ; Marbled White-spot(1) ; Burnished Brass(1) ; Setaceous Hebrew Character(1).Others of note : Purple Bar(1) ; Scorched Wing(5) ; Silver-Y(1) ; Orange Footman(1) ; Broom Moth(6) ; Shoulder-striped Wainscot(6) ; Flame(1).  This afternoon in the garden,on a cluster of buttercups,Micropterix aruncella(2) and M.calthella(8) and netted close to them Dichrorampha sequana.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 9.1 degrees

Ninety moths of 32 species including FFY - Beautiful Golden Y, Poplar Kitten, Burnished Brass and Mottled Rustic. The Treble Lines are having a good year here. We had 23 in the trap last night.

My first trapping for almost a week (due to my involvement with the Barrington Court Nature Week event), produced a slight improvement - numbers up to 28 of 16 species.  FFY were Small Square-spot (11), Small Magpie, LIght Emerald, Bee Moth, Clouded Silver and Clouded-borderrd Brindle.  I also found the corpse of a Small Eggar in a spider's web, tucked in a corner of the "moth room" - presumably been there a while !! (I suppose this counts as a FFY ?)

Freshly-emerged Endothenia gentianaeana, from teasel-heads collected at Carymoor.

An initial check of my trap this morning revealed no Diamond Backed moths and I thought they must have missed this part of Somerset. I then disturbed one in the garden and, after reading yesterday's comment about how hard they are to see on the egg boxes, I checked my trap again, this time with my glasses on. I found another 8 that I had earlier overlooked. I also recorded my first Privet Hawk moth of the year. I didn't need glasses for that one and the difference in size between the two species is spectacular.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 7.9 degrees

Forty-one moths of 23 species including FFY - an Eyed-Hawk moth.

They have certainly reached Somerset. Lots disturbed in the garden in Butleigh yesterday and 30plus in the trap last night, mostly pale form.

Jenny - the Glyphipterix might be thrasonella, which I recorded on the meadows last summer, associating with the rushes.

My butterfly transect is proving more of a moth transect at the moment. Dire for butterflies. Large White (3), GVW (1), Common Blue (1), Peacock (1) and Speckled Wood (2).

Moths seen were Grass Rivulet (10), Chimney Sweeper (6), Burnet Companion (5), Straw Dot (1), Small Yellow Underwing (1), Micropterix calthella (20+) and Glyphipterix sp. (1).

I went over to Hurscombe today to see the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries of which a dozen or so were on the wing, despite the fairly cloudy and breezy conditions. Of more interest, perhaps, were three Speckled Yellow and at least seven Chimney Sweeper. The species maps on this website suggest that Speckled Yellow has never been recorded here and Chimney Sweeper not since 1985! Presumably the site doesn't get visited by moth'ers very often or they have just been overlooked........or recent management has made the place more attractive.

Trapping is now starting to pick up in the garden, with 35 and 43 species over the last couple of nights - just Broom Moth and Eucosma hohenwartiana were new.

A few trips out by day have also proved interesting, with Cauchas fibulella, a Prochoreutis sp. and various other grassland species at Ash Priors Common, Micropterix aureatella, Olethreutes arcuella, Ancylis myrtillana and Lead-Coloured Pug at Haddon Hill.

Micropterix aureatella

Ancylis myrtillana

Most excitement however, came today, whilst scaling the precipitous cliffs at Blue Anchor in search of Fly Orchid, when (after seeing good numbers of Dingy Skipper), I found Little Thorn, followed by a Narrow-Bordered Bee Hawk Moth nectaring on Bird's Foot Trefoil - this species doesn't seem to have been recorded in the area before, but in this difficult to access and amazingly diverse site, who knows what else could be lurking!

Narrow-Bordered Bee Hawk!

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 11.5 degrees

59 moths of 30 species including FFY - a Rivulet, C.Culmella and also a first for this site - Nemophora Metallica.

This year on the Somerset Levels - Westhay/Shapwick. We will meet up at the Avalon Marshes visitor Centre at about 8.30pm but the exact date is yet to be set - when it is I'll put it on the events page.

Amended; - Meet at 8pm at Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve car park ST45627 43704 on friday 9th.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 14 degrees and wet!

77 moths of 33 species including FFY - Common Carpet, Knot Grass, Purple Clay, Straw Dot, Poplar Grey, Marbled White-spot and a first for us here a Marbled Pug.

I don't normally look at the micros in my trap but occasionally I come across one that catches my attention. I know very little about them and have tentatively identified this as 1064 celypha rosaceana. If it is it will be a new record for my square.

I had a telephone call from a friend In West Lydford yesterday, to advise me of a web on a blackthorn bush, which she had thought was of larvae of the Lackey moth (having "looked it up on the internet") - they turned out to be Small Eggars !