I spent another hour or so at Rodden Nature Reserve this morning scrutinising amongst other things, Oxeye Daisy leaves (Leucanthemum vulgare) which produced the mine of Bucculatrix nigricomella. On the SMG status map it appears to be 'occasional and very local' and at a national level is categorised as 'local'.

I spent a couple of hours this morning at Rodden Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Frome looking for early stages. The reserve is closed to the public from the end of January till the end of July but I have permission to do some moth survey work on there year round.

I was successful in finding several larvae of Limnaecia phragmitella in Bulrush seed heads.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 1.5 degrees

After a warm start the night turned cold and by morning there were no moths on the window but at the start we had Hebrew Character (2) Common Quaker (3) Dotted Border. Early Moth and a FFY Grey Shoulder-knot.

Moths at last!
19/2/17 Hebrew Character 1
20/2/17 Agonopterix alstromeriana 1, Hebrew Character 5, Common Quaker 4, Herald 1.
6 male frogs 'singing' in the pond - but no frogspawn yet!

Ten moths of seven species.  March Moth (3) ; Pale Brindled Beauty (1) ; Spring Usher (1) ; Dotted Border (1) ; Chestnut (2) ; Satellite (1) and a possible Acleris cristana , awaiting confirmation from Paul Wilkins.  My sister e-mailed me a photo of a Small Magpie! that she found in her hall this morning at Rockwell Green. Moths definitely do not read Guide books.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 5.4 degrees

At actinic light in window, Dotted Border (2), Oak Beauty, Pale Brindled Beauty (2) and FFY - an Engrailed.

A very mild night here so put out the MV trap for only the second time this year. Glad I did as I was rewarded with 10 moths of 9 species: Oak Nycteoline (1, NFG), Common Quaker (2, FFY), Chestnut (1), Dark Chestnut (1, FFY), Early Thorn (1, FFY), Emmelina monodactyla (1, FFY), Agonopterix alstromeriana (1 FFY), Agonopterix heracliana (1) plus one unidentified Tortrix - now identified as the winter version of Acleris kochiella (FFY) thanks to James McGill. A good night!

This is an easy moth to record at this time of year if you have ornamental Hypericum bushes in your garden or nearby.  There is a colony mining the leaves of the bush outside my study window.  I have been growing the native foodplant, Perforate St John's Wort, in the garden, but so far the moths prefer the non-native cultivar.

First Early Moth of the year for me on house wall.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 6.2 Degrees

FFY - a Hebrew Character. We also had three Early Moths which are having a good year here.

First garden trap for a month- just 4 moths but all FFYs, Dotted Border, Common Quaker, Hebrew Character and Tortricodes alternella.

I have just read that Bernard Skinner passed away last week. Many of us started mothing with a copy of "Skinner" and probably had a Skinner trap too. I didn't know him personally but do remember being in a Gloucestershire woodland with him and the Bristol Moth Group. He had the oldest, dustiest and fluffiest set of egg boxes in his traps that you could ever come across. Every moth came out looking like it had been dusted with talcum powder. One of the greats.

The next moth trapping night at Shapwick Heath NNR will be this month on Sunday the 26th. We will be meeting at the Avalon Marshes Centre at 4:30pm. Again, anyone is welcome to come. Unfortunately, last month was cancelled because of bad weather, so hopefully this month will be fine.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 5.2 degrees

FFY an Oak Beauty.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min temp 4.2 degrees

All FFY - Early Thorn, Dotted Border, Common Quaker, Chestnut (2) and a Dark Chestnut.

Only two moths last night, a Chestnut (FFY) and my very first Spring Usher (NFG).

Stop press.  An escapee from last nights catch surfaced in the lounge this evening...a Spring Usher. Also, Paul Wilkins has confirmed the ID of Acleris hyemana.

Six moths between the two traps including the first micro of the year.  March Moth (1) ; Pale Brindled Beauty (1) ; Early Moth (2) ; Dark Chestnut (1).  The micro is - I think - Acleris hyemana ,but this is awaiting confirmation from Paul Wilkins.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 8.3 degrees

The first warm night of the year produced one FFY moth a Pale Brindled Beauty.

Martin Evans and I trapped for a couple of hours tonight. 9C dropping to 7C. Mist cleared. 3 traps. Not a sausage. On the way back to Bristol, we drove some country lanes to see if anything was flying there. Not a moth. This may be the first time ever we've gone out mothing and not seen one. Roger

Back in Somerset now and enjoying a few Northern Hemisphere moths . 13.02.17 trapping 1 Chestnut and 1 Small Brindled Beauty . Photo of a Cabbage Tree Moth from The Coromandel Peninsula , New Zealand taken in Nov. 2016

This larva came in on my dog on Monday morning. I'm pretty certain that it is a Brimstone Moth. It is feeding on Rose at the moment.

70.226 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata) overwintering larva

Whitefield,Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 1.4 degrees

Our first moth for the year!  An appropriately named Early Moth.!

I had an Early Moth at the office window last night. Only my second record here for this species - the first being three years ago and in very poor condition so it was great opportunity to get a better picture.