A very mild night in Butleigh brought in just 2 December Moths, a Winter Moth and a Bumble Bee.

A very symmetrical catch last night - one each Winter and December moth per trap. (Well, to be more accurate, three of the four were actually nearby or on the wall beside the traps, rather than inside, but never mind).  I saw several moths in my car headlights earlier on in the evening, and was hopeful of a bigger catch, but it was not to be.

Wishing all readers a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

Mottled Umber on the house wall this morning.

I found this wonderfully fresh Red-green Carpet next to an outside light in Peasedown St John yesterday morning so I have had to share these couple of photographs with you.

Just one lonely male Winter moth in the actinic trap last night, otherwise a barren desert in moth terms.

A better night here, with 25 moths in and around the trap.  December Moth (4) ; Winter Moth (2) ; FFG Scarce Umber (1) ; Mottled Umber (15) and Yellow-line Quaker (3). This brings the Year total to 359, which is 59 better than last year. This from 57 nights trapping (1 fewer than last year). So it seems that, here at least, even if the overall total of moths caught this year is down the variety is well up.

Both traps run all night - result ?  3 December Moths on the wall beside the MV, but nothing actually inside either trap.  Earlier on there was an Agonopterix heracliana on the kitchen window, only the second record this year, the other one being in July.

No trapping of late but found a Rusty Dot Pearl on the house wall this morning. It's my first December record.

I found a Common Plume (E.monodactyla) in my greenhouse this afternoon.  I doubt if it's the same individual as I found there a few weeks ago, but you never know.

11 moths last night with a Cypress Carpet and only my second Mottled Umber here at Pen Elm - numbers were made up with December Moth (5) and Winter Moth (4).

Ever hopeful, I put both traps out last night - hopes dashed - nuffink - not even a Winter Moth on the wall or the kitchen window.

7.00 pm A female LIght Brown Apple Moth in the house this evening.

The 2017 AGM will be at Ruishton Village hall on Saturday 11th November at 1030am

Whitefield,Wiveliscombe - Min temp 5.8 degrees

Six moths of three species including FFY - Mottled Umber (2).

We were sorry to miss the Moth Group AGM. We turned up at Ruishton as usual on the Saturday!

My mystery micro from Thursday night has been confirmed by numerous attendees at the AGM as a Rusty-dot Pearl.  It was a bit (well, very) pale and lacking in markings, so it could have passed for several different species, in my book at least.  Shows how little I know !

Two actinics run - overcast and drizzly initially, some heavy rain, then clearing and cooling.

Winter Moth (21)
December Moth
Dark Chestnut

No Mottled Umber!

I have spent the last couple of weeks in Berkley Marsh, Frome but due to the generally cold weather only managed to trap on a few nights. Apologies for the late reports but have been off-line for the duration. On 26/11/16 I managed 9 moths - 3 Feathered Thorn, 2 December Moths, 2 Red-line Quakers, 1 Black Rustic and 1 Angle Shades. Only 7 moths on 5/12/16 - 1 Feathered Thorn, 3 December moths, 2 Mottled Umber and 1 Winter moth. However, on 6/12/16, I had an amazing (for this time of year) 61 moths of which 54 (41 males / 13 females) were December moths. I have never seen anything like this before - I am lucky to get 2-3 at best and often none at all. In addition, there were 2 Feathered Thorn, 1 Mottled Umber, 3 Winter moths and a Red-green Carpet. Unfortunately, I am back in Middlesex now and also back to reality - 2 December moths, 1 Winter moth, 1 Feathered Thorn and several Light Brown Apple Moths over 2 very mild nights - and that is an excellent return compared to the average !!! Looking forward to a return to Somerset in the New Year !

4 December Moths, 3 Mottled Umbers and a very late Black Rustic last night. This is my first Black rustic since 01/11/16 and a month later than any previous record. It was also the first time I have recorded more than one Mottled Umber.

Not a singe Dec. Moth after the bonanza 22 on Tuesday...? Just 1 Mottled Umber, 1 Feathered Thorn, 1 Red-line Quaker, 2 Red-green Carpets and 1 Agon arenella.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 10.5

22 moths of 5 species including FFY -a Satellite.

Just 3 moths last night - very disappointing given the mild conditions.  One each Winter Moth, December Moth and a micro to be confirmed in the fullness of time.

I've been away for quite a while and consequently haven't trapped for a month. By the looks of the reports I haven't missed that much. It was very mild last night so ran both traps (MV and Actinic) and attracted 10 moths of 5 species: December Moth (4), Feathered Thorn (2), Common Marbled Carpet, LBAM and Diamond-back Moth (2).

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 10.5 degrees

At last a warmer night tempted me to put the trap out and we had December Moth (28), Feathered Thorn (2), and singles of both Red and Yellow lined Quakers,

Wednesday morning brought 22 December Moths, Red-green carpet and a Mottled Umber - last night by the porch light a Feathered Thorn and Mottled Umber.

I hadn't trapped since 12 November but it was worth the wait. 57 moths in and around the trap including no less than 48 December Moths. Others were : Red-green Carpet (3) ; Winter Moth (1 FFY) ; Feathered Thorn (1) ; Mottled Umber (2) and Yellow-line Quaker (2).

Acleris umbrana caught last night in the garden trap here in Weston also Acleris schalleriana, LBAM, December Moth, Red-green Carpet.

At last a trapping night.  One Feathered Thorn, and 8 December Moths (FFY) - 7 males, 1 female.

T Min 9.2°C. Three December Moths plus single Mottled Umber and Light Brown Apple Moth.

After the run of cold nights I put the trap out last night. Nothing unuusual, but 1 Light Brown Apple Moth, 1 Rusty Dot Pearl (presumably bred locally) and 7 December Moth.

I have been a bit lacking in the moth department recently so I was very pleased indeed to find this fine Buttoned Snout in my sister in laws shed yesterday.

Feathered Thorn on the house wall today, my first December record.

Still plenty of leaf-mines to be found, especially where tall hedges on either side of lanes provide shelter and the leaves have not yet been blown away.  The best finds today were Phyllonorycter lantanella on wayfaring-tree at Draycott Sleights, and Ectoedemia rubivora on bramble at Stratton-on-the-Fosse.