Rusty Dot Pearl sunning itself on the front wall this morning! I don't normally record them as late as this but did have one at the same time of year in 2014.

Winter Moth on the window tonight - the first here since 2013.

Coleophora argentula also at Braysdown today.

John I've found Coleophora argentula on Yarrow on Rodden Nature Reserve near Frome this year. I'm sure you're right that it's under recorded.

27 moths of 8 species. Rusty-dot Pearl (1) ; December Moth (6) ; Red-green Carpet (3) ; November Moth (2) ; Feathered Thorn (1) ; Red-line Quaker (2) ; Yellow-line Quaker (12) and a sleepy Hebrew Character.

Two poor nights:
Sunday 19th December Moth 2, Sparawler 1, Grey Shoulder-knot 1
Monday 20th Light Brown Apple Mth 3, Common Plume 1, Red-green Carpet 1, Flounced Chestnut 1.
Let's hope that the promised southerlies at the end of the week bring in something exciting!

I found these Coleophorid cases on Yarrow on Tuesday - thanks to James McGill for confirming my ID. They are 37.012 Coleophora argentula. Very few records for Somerset although I suspect that they are overlooked as the host plants (Yarrow and Sneezewort) are widespread.


37.012 Coleophora argentula cases on Yarrow, Langport, VC6.

Whitefield, Wiveliscombe -Min Temp 1.5 degrees

Just two moths FFY - a December Moth and a Grey Shoulder-Knot.

Nothing new last night but I did have a very late Brimstone and my 2nd Double Striped Pug of the month.

The last mild night for a while. 29 moths of 11 spp. 7 Feathered Thorn, 6, Yellow-line Quakers, and 1 Red-line. 5 Dec Moths, 2 each of Barred Sallow and Beaded Chestnut, 3 Spruce Carpets a Silver Y, Rusty-dot Pearl, Common Plume and Agon. alstromeriana. Our neighbours have just had to remove a mature dead Silver Birch and Sallow from our boundary...Honey Fungus. Sallows have been very poor here this year.

Just 4 moths last night despite seemingly ideal conditions:
Rusty Dot Pearl 1
December Moth 1
Feathered Thorn 1
Silver Y 1

16 moths last night . 1 November Moth agg. 1 Red - green Carpet ,1 Merveille du Jour , 1 Grey Shoulder - Knot , 3 Feathered Thorn , 3 December Moth and 6 Yellow -line Quaker .

Last night 4 moths plus 2 beetles , loads of small flies and 4 wasps . I had my 2nd December Moth of the season ( 1st one last Thursday ) plus 1 Silver Y and 2 Yellow - Line Quaker .

Having said in my AGM report yesterday that November had been poor so far I checked my emails when I got home and found on from Nigel Powell - he found a Silver-striped Hawk-moth which had settled on his car cover in Cleeve Park, Blue Anchor on Wednesday 8th. Verified by his photographs.


Nigel Powell's photographs of the Silver-Striped Hawk-moth. Apparently the only Somerset record this year.

Still a few out there if the temperature holds up.  28 moths of 13 species including FFY Feathered Thorn (3).  Others were : Ypsolopha ustella (1) ; Rusty-dot Pearl (1) ; December Moth (2) ; Spruce Carpet (4) ; November Moth agg. (2) ; Grey Shoulder-knot (1) ; Red-line Quaker (1) ; Yellow-line Quaker (8) ; Chestnut (2) ; Satellite (1) and Merveille du Jour (1).

Only my 3rd ever Sprawler recorded last night was my 292nd macro species of the year. This equals my previous record but I am not expecting to record any further species this year. All the typical winter moths I recorded in January and it is only Brick and Pearly Underwing that I haven't seen this year that I can realistically hope for now.

23 moths of 11 species on a mild and drizzly night. 3 Mottled Umber was the highlight as I have only had singletons before. Also of note, Red-green Carpet, Merveille du Jour, Silver Y (2), Feathered Thorn (4), Dark Chestnut, Red-line Quaker (2), Cypress Carpet, and a late Large Yellow Underwing.

Phyllocnistis unipunctella mine on poplar, today, central Bath.

Whitefield. Wiveliscombe - Min Temp 6.5 degrees

FFY - NO MOTHS

Three Yellow-line Quakers and a second generation Grey Dagger agg.  thats all folks!

Mike Ridge, a former stalwart of the Somerset Moth Group and Butterfly Conservation, is unfortunately in poor health and in care and has had to give up his natural history activities.

He has donated much of his equipment to the SMG for sale, and has also asked us to sell some items on his behalf. They will all be available now to SMG members - contact me at john.bebbingtonfrps@btinternet.com - and then remaining items will be available at the AGM on 11th November, and in the afternoon to BC branch members at the Branch AGM.

Items for sale on behalf of Mike Ridge- these are real bargains!
1x Skinner trap NEW and never unpacked -complete with choke and bulb - asking price £100

Items donated to SMG by Mike and sold for SMG funds - all new and unused, half price or better

180 pots 9x4.5cm - asking price 50p each
76 tubes 5x2cm - asking price £1.25 for 10 32 pots 6x4.5cm - asking price 25p each
13 larva boxes 16x12x6.5cm - asking price £1 each
12 plastic boxes 14x11x7cm - asking price £1 each
17 larva boxes 8x7.5x7.5cm - asking price 50p each
6 square plastic boxes7x7x3.5cm - asking price 50p each
15 round plastic pots 6x3cm - asking price 50p each
43 plastic tubes 7x3cm - asking price 10p each

There are also a number of Mike’s books - awaiting reasonable offers - and free booklets and leaflets.

Separately, we have the following softback volumes from ‘The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland’. We are looking to sell them for £30 each -below the current internet prices.
Vol 7 (part 1) Hesperiidae to Nymphalidae
Vol 7 (part 2) Lasiocampidae to Thyatyridae (with Life History Chart of the British Lepidoptera)
Vol 9 Sphingidae to Noctuidae (part 1)
Vol 10 Noctudae (part 2) and Agaristidae