200 moths of 50 species. Six new FFY : Acleris emergana (1, presumed) ; Garden Rose Tortrix (2) ; Svenssons Copper Underwing (1) ; Frosted Orange (3) ; Centre-barred Sallow (2) and Hedge Rustic (1).  Also of note : Ypsolopha parenthesella (2) ; Blood Vein (1) ; Pine Carpet (1) ; Copper Underwing (1) ; Pale Mottled Willow (1) ; Rosy Rustic (3) ; Antler Moth (1) ; Shuttle-shaped Dart (3) and 29 LYU.

29/8/18 - Not very exciting, probably die to the chilly night.  Just 56 moths of 19 species, with nothing new (again).  Goodly numbers of Large YU (19) and Setaceous HC (10), plus a few more Centre-barred Sallows.

155 moths of 22 species, good numbers of Large and Lesser Yellow Underwing, 20 The Spectacle, 15 Brimstone plus Dusky and August Thorn, Burnished Brass, Gold Spot, Chinese Character and Red Underwing.

My heart sank when I heard the late evening rain but the haul from last night's trap wasn't too bad all things considered - 61 moths of 21 species. FFY were Purple Bar, Currant Pug and Centre-barred Sallow. Large Yellow Undwerwing numbers were up to 15.

106 moths of 39 species, not a lot of note except for my first Centre-barred Sallow of the year and two good micros - Swammerdamia pyrella and Epinotia tenerana (Nut Bud Moth) a NFG and confirmed by James McGill.


Epinotia tenerana (Nut Bud Moth)

27/8/18 - An improvement on the last trapping, with 68 moths of 21 species.  Nothing new, but the Large YU are definitely back in business.  There were 20 in the Actinic, five of them under one small egg-box (holding a Union meeting I suppose), out of the 26 total, and a further 11 in the MV trap.  I am wondering if the recent surge in numbers is the result of the hot dry weather having made it difficult for them to emerge from their underground pupation, and they are finally able to do it now that the soil is softer.  Just a thought.

Even fewer moths here ! Just 15 moths of 10 species . However 3 nights ago I had 17 Silver Y .

I thought a trap full of moths to process would help fill a rainy sunday, but --- 45 of 19 species.  Garden Pebble was the only FFY. The rest were run of the mill except for a faded Pug that may or may not be a Golden-rod .

25/8/18 - well, that didn't take long.  Just 29 moths of 11 species, with nothing new. Large YU (11) continued their recent resurgence.

A pretty poor night last night, with 31 moths of 11 species. The only FFY was Cabbage Moth (2).

41 species including five FFY and a NFG macro - a worn, but unmistakable, Oblique Carpet and a first for me. Of the FFY, some welcome 'old chums' that I hadn't seen for a few years, Frosted Orange, Small China-mark, Pyrausta despicata (2) and my first Chinese Character and Flounced Rustic of the year.

The rain later in the night clearly didn't deter the moths, as there were 126 in total, 41 of them in the Actinic trap, far more than usual.  34 species in all, including FFY Centre-barred Sallow (2), and FFG Sallow (very early) and Diamond-back.  At last, Large YU in numbers (26), of which 16 were in the Actinic.

Just 37 spp last night considering the good conditions, FFY European Corn-borer, Frosted Orange, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Chequered Fruit-tree Tortrix, Commonest sp- Garden Pebble followed by Small BBYUW and Set. Heb. Character.

Never mind , Nigel and Ian. I have also found several maps blank and did wonder . John has only seen a Maple Prominent in Surrey and it is still a FFG for me , so I am not toooo disappointed . Last night I had 38 moths of 18 species including a Poplar Hawkmoth and Jersey Tiger . Also one FFY a Hedge Rustic . Looking at our website tonight when I found out the bad news , I realised that the moth in my fridge awating identification was the same species as in the photo , the Horse Chestnut . I will doubly check tomorrow and photo but that should be another FFG for me .

This is a posting for Peter Gawthorpe in Cheddar whose laptop is not behaving. He also took a very fresh looking Horse Chestnut from his garden trap in the centre of Cheddar last night. Others were Dusky thorn, Straw underwing, Uncertain, Willow beauty, Marbled beauty, Vine's rustic and Homoeosoma sinuella. Oh and 35 Large yellow underwings!

A very ordinary catch last night with the exception of my first ever Horse Chestnut. What it was doing here is beyond me as we have no heath land anywhere close by. It is a very odd looking moth which I have never expected to record in my garden. Does anybody know how it got its name?
Pam, I feel your pain. I 've never caught a Maple Prominent and I can tell by your post that you were as excited about the potential first Somerset record as I would have been. If I am in a similar situation in the future I will be sure to check our atlas in case the web site has led me on!

FFG: Bryotropha domestica found in the garage as I went to put the trap out.

And my second record of Matiella fusca in the trap this morning - the first being on 23.8.2013.

Matiella fusca

20/8/18 - When I opened the Actinic trap this morning, I was very surprised to find only 5 moths in it. Given the mild humid weather this was very disappointing.  However, it seems they all went to the MV trap instead, as there were a further 81 moths inside.  All told there wre 32 species, including just the one FFY, a Cypress Pug.  Lesser Broad-bordered YU again the most numerous, with 14, and Large YU up to 8.

Pam,

Reference your Maple Prominent. Unfortunately there are problems with several maps on the site. Maple Prominent is one of them - the map on the website is blank whereas the 2011 Macro Moth Atlas has 103 records.

I have no idea why this is maybe John will be able to help. The Small Wainscot map is also blank even though there are 455 records in the 2011 Atlas and I'm sure there are others.

Several of my records don't show on various species maps either.

Regards

Nigel

39 moths of 15 species last night including a Poplar Hawkmoth , 4 Blood Vein , 1 Antler Moth , 2 Copper Underwing and 11 Setaceous Hebrew Character .  BUT , yesterday , I thought a moth on the side wall of the trap looked unfamiliar , as indeed it was ! It was a Maple Prominent and I believe a 1 st for VC 5 and VC 6 . In all Saturday night 18 .08 18 there were 41 moths of 18 species including one Langmaid's Yellow Underwing ffy .

Addendum to the report for the 18th.  A mystery (to me at least) was a FFY Yellow-barred Brindle - thanks to John Bebbington for the ID, and to my grand-daughter for getting a photo to him !!  These youngsters find it so easy, don't they?

My first trapping session for ove two weeks produced 86 moths of 31 species. FFY were The Rivulet, Iron Prominent, Common Wainscot, Copper Underwing and Vine's Rustic (2). The most numerous species was Agriphila tristella (18), followed by Lesser BBYU (9) and Double-striped Pug (8, my second highest count).

I have been wanting to trap this site for a long time, as it is a fine location for butterflies and I was hoping it might be as good for moths.  The macros were almost all common ones, Fern and Gold Spot being the best finds, but there were some nice micros present - Triangle Plume, Ypsolopha scabrella, and both Cochylis dubitana and C. hybridella.

Large yellow Underwings abundant here as well. 20 out of 167 moths and the first time outnumbering LBBYUs(14).. Total of 46 species : Light emerald, Purple bar, Spectacle, Canary shouldered thorn, Calamatropha palledela and Donnaacula forficella.

A little drizzle overnight which often seems to increase the catch. 254 moths of 58 species. one FFG : Ringed China Mark (1 female). A further 7 FFY : Common Plume (1) ; Yellow-barred Brindle (3) ; Shark (2) ; Copper Underwing (1) ; Angle Shades (2) ; Antler Moth (2) and Square-spot Rustic (1).  Others of note : Epiblema scutulana (2) ; Cydia splendana (3) Scoparia pyralella (1) ; Poplar Hawk Moth (1) ; Blood Vein (5) ; Dusky Thorn (5) ; Jersey Tiger (1) ; LYU (17 - they are waking up at last). Top score went again to Setacious Hebrew Character (38).

18/8/18 - an average sort of night, with 79 moths of 28 species, including 2 FFY, Peach Blossom and Bordered Beauty, and 3 FFG, Pyrausta aurata, Argyresthia semifusca, and Pandemis corylana.  Again, the most numerous were Setaceous HC (17) and Lesser BBYU (14).  Like Ian, Large YU seem to be becoming more numerous, but still only 6 this time.

An interesting night, 27 macro and 18 micro spp. 2 FFG, Mompha subpropinquella and a Caloptilia populetorum, which does not seem to appear on this site. Also a Red Underwing, FFY Svensson's Copper Underwing, Beautiful, Hemp-agrimony and Common Plumes.

A White-point was the highlight of the catch this morning. It is my first since 2014 and I can see very few records of them anywhere this summer. The rest of the catch was fairly standard with Large Yellow Underwing numbers just reaching double figures.

I haven't posted here too much lately, but have still been busy finding moths over the summer.  Some of the highlights:

Lesser-spotted Pinion reared from larvae on wych elm, Tucking Mill and University of Bath - also Dun-bar and Svensson's Copper Underwing at the former site.  I found the usual Copper Underwing larvae in early summer in Holcombe Wood, which was nice for comparative purposes, though the Svensson's had gone to ground by this time.

Small Eggar nest at Wall Common, 6 June.

I'm not sure if Coleophora limosipennella is having a good year or whether I have just worked out how to find the cases; this is a moth I have not come across before.  Blatchbridge, 22 May; Farleigh Hungerford, 6 June; Lytes Cary, 15 July.

Roeslerstammella erxlebella by day, Bushey Norwood (Bath), 18 July.

A tortrix that had the look of Acleris effractana, Witham Friary, 22 July.  I think the moth would be new to Somerset, but I have neither specimen nor photo...  One to follow up.

A wander across the Levels on 2 August, from east of Glastonbury to Woolavington, was mainly to look for dragonflies, but provided plenty of moth interest.  Just north of Glastonbury, a psychedelic, vigorously-fluttering apparition eventually proved to be a day-flying Gold Spot when it stopped briefly to nectar on purple loosestrife.  A couple of Jersey Tigers were feeding nearby on hemp-agrimony (this species has not yet reached east Mendip).  The mines of Phyllocnistis saligna could be found pretty much everywhere on willows.

Bucculatrix albedinella amongst good numbers of the commoner elm-feeding leaf-miners at Rudge, east of Beckington, at just about the most easterly point in Somerset.

16/8/18 - numbers down with somewhat of a bump.  just 50 moths, and only 14 species.  One FFG, a second-generation Swallow Prominent. (Where did the first generation get to?) Lesser BBYU (16) and Setaceous HC (14) made up the bulk of the total.

I set two traps on Tuesday night (actinic at the front and MV at the back) and was rewarded with a relatively bumper catch of 256* moths of 62 species of which 25 were micros. I had two NFG and perhaps a third as James McGill is looking at a possible Cochylis hybridella. The two NFG were: Pandemis corylana and Matilella fusca. Seven FFY: Herald, Cypress Pug, Currant Pug, Pale Mottled Willow, Cloaked Minor, Pseudoswammerdamia combinella and Acrobasis advenella. The actinic attracted all of the Jersey Tiger (2) and all of the LYU (4), apart from that, not a real difference, apart from numbers. *I didn't count all of the Diamond-back and Agriphila

Update: Cochylis hybridella confirmed. Thanks (again) to James McGill for his help



Matilella fusca

Box-tree Moth Cydalima perspectalis in Milton, Weston-s-Mare last night. From what I can gather this is the 5th record for VC5/6 area in the last 12 months so perhaps becoming established in the area now.

Box-tree Moth

Undoubtedly the highlight of the year so far for me, a Golden Twin-spot at Burnham-on-sea on 3rd August.

At last a cloudy, reasonably still and mild night that produced decent numbers of moths . Nothing as exciting as Paul but 427 macros of 53 species were counted andt you could easily have doubled that number with swarms of Apple/Orchard Ermine that went uncounted. For the first time this year I reached a century of a single species with 110 Setacious Hebrew Characters closely followed by 99 Flame Shoulders.  Heart and Dart had a poor showing in June and I normally only record a handful of second generation in August and September but last night I had 34 of them. Frosted Orange was my only first for the year and was also my 250th macro of 2018.
Like a number of others I am wondering where all the Large Yellow Underwings have gone. On this day last year I had 182 of them in my trap but last night I only had 3! During the really hot weather I was constantly disturbing them aestivating in my shed but surely the weather is cool enough for them now?

14/8/18 - An exciting night (for a change) 100 moths of 31 species, including FFY Angle Shades, FFGs Small Clouded Brindle (very late- ? an unusual second generation?) and Monopis weaverella, plus a lifetime first, a Clifden Nonpareil, blundering around in the small Actinic trap.  What a magnificent moth.  Setaceous Hebrew Characters (32) clearly having a good year.

9.20 pm - Just rounded up the strays from this morning - 8 more moths, 1 more species, totals now 108/32.  Oh, a Bush Cricket and an Ichneumon Wasp as well - makes a change from moths, I suppose.  I have to assume that they were in the traps originally, but of course they may just have come in during the day - who knows?

A good night in the garden with 28 macro and 25 micro spp. FFY female 4-spotted Footman, Flounced Rustic, Common Swift. at least 10 Plutella xylostella, a Celypha rosaceana, Morophaga Choragella and 2 FFG Eupoecelia angustella and 2 Epermenia falciformis.

It is worth checking the flower heads of Common Fleabane for Apodia bifractella in July & August. Several found at Silk Mills LNR, Taunton, today.

35 species in my trap this morning in Middlezoy. Highlights were:

Gold Triangle, Swallow Prominent, Dusky Thorn, Cabbage, Brown China Mark, Poplar Hawkmoth, Common Wainscot, Vine's Rustic, Garden Tiger, Rosy Footman.

12/8/18 - well, they don't seem to mind showers, just the cold!!  The largest catch for some time last night, 86 moths, but not a lot of variety, just 29 species, including FFY Small Dusty Wave and Orange Swift.  Most numerous were Brimstone Moth (8), Setaceous Hebrew Character (16), Fkame Shoulder (14) and Lesser BBYU (10).

They breed them tougher here in West Somerset - 114 moths of 38 species including FFG Ypsolopha parenthesella. Two others were FFY : Lime-speck Pug (1) and Six-striped Rustic (3). Others of note were : Cydia splendana (1) ; Dioryctria abietella (1) ; Catoptria pinella (3) ; Oak Hook-tip (1) ; Brimstone Moth (21) ; Lesser Swallow Prominent (1) ; Pale Prominent (1) ; Rosy Rustic (1) ; Dark Sword-grass (1).  Three more micros to report from July after dissection by Paul Wilkins (What would we do without the real experts?) : 06/07/2018 Small Golden Rod Plume and Coleophora serratella.  31/07/2018 Conchylis molliculana.

Not unexpectedly, numbers down here also but prospects for the next few days are not good so thought it might be worth a punt. 69 moths 27 species. FFG Small dusty wave. Others Dark swordgrass, Marbled beauty, Cabbage and Nutmeg. Couple of micros still to be identified.

10/8/18 - What a bunch of wimps these moths are!!  First coldish night fo a while, and they all stay under their duvets.  Just 22 moths of 12 species braved the chill to come here. The tough guys were 6 Lesser Broad-bordered YUs.  Only one FFY, Clepsis consimilana.  Otherwise the usual crowd (well, group would be more accurate).

Delayed post for the night of 8/8/18 (intermittent or no internet since 7/8)

just 43 moths, 21 species, including FFY Six-striped Rustic, Heart & Club and Acleris forsskaleana. and one FFG, a very late (? possible second generation?) Lime Hawkmoth. That was a real and very nice surprise.

75 moths, 37 species, 3 FFG: Small Rivulet, Apple Leaf Miner, Canary-shouldered Thorn and one NFG, two attractive Cochylis atricapitana, many thanks to James McGill for confirmation.


Cochylis atricapitana

Still strong numbers here, 272 moths. 176 macros, 45 species FFG Flame carpet and Nutmeg. Others Orange swift, Dwarf cream wave, Rosy rustic, Cabbage,Ghost (2 males).

Micros were very rewarding thanks to David Agassiz.96 moths (+ uncounted number of dead Water veneers) 31 species. 8 FFGs Monochroa lucidella probably the pick of the bunch 1 record since 1990 in VC6 (the other by David), Lyonetia clerkella, Crocidosema plebejana, Bryotropha terella, Calamatropha palludella, Coleophora saxicorella (4 previous VC6 records), Dichromorpha plumbana (6 previous VC6 records) and Stammerdamia pyrelia.

6/8/18 - very quiet last night, even using both traps, just 38 moths of 20 species.  I blame the bats !!  There were second-generation Pebble Prominent and Flame Carpet, and FFG Jersey Tiger and Acleris laterana.  Brimstone Moths and Straw Dots (5 each) the most numerous.  There is also a UFO micro to sort out in due course.

11.15 a.m.  UFO turns out to be FFG Cydia splendana - I have seen one only once before, and not for 10 years, so I didn't recognise it on first examination.

FFG: Epermenia falciformis

Last night trapped 122 moths of 31 species with one FFY a Frosted Orange . Best numbers were 34 Common Rustic , 23 Straw Dot , 10 Dingy Footman , and 10 Blood Vein . I also had 2 Straw Underwing , 2 Ear sp .  a male Four - spotted Footman and a 2nd gen. Clay Triple - Lines . I haven't added up my daily numbers for last few days yet .

Another unexceptional session last night, with 55 moths of 28 species. FFY were Yponomeuta plumbella, Diamond-back Moth, Acleris laterana and Yellow-barred Brindle (2).

A quieter night than I hoped for with next to nothing around the trap. However there was interest with Ear, Maidens Blush and a Straw Underwing new for the year. Also what I think Is a Cochylis molliculana. I'll post a photo when I relocate my password. Marbled Green has occurred at the House Windows but not the trap. No Footmen except for one male Four-spotted.

Star of the night was a bug though, the Horned Leafhopper, Ledra aurita. Curiously I found it on a pot lid I was just about to use, so not in the trap.

Too hot to process 400+ so I just put the actinic out, result - 132 moths of 49 species with a couple of micros still to determine.  FFG a lovely fresh Gold Spot.  FFY : Acleris aspersana (1) ; Acleris forsskaleana (1) ; Dusky Thorn (8) ; Mouse Moth (1) ; Rosy Rustic (1) and Dark Swordgrass (1).  Others of note :Scalloped Hook-tip (1) ; Oak Hook-tip (4) ; Sharp-angled Peacock (4) ; Iron Prominent (1) ; Pebble Prominent (1) ; Jersey Tiger (3) ; Shuttle-shaped Dart (1) ; Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (3) and a Meadow Brown!

4/8/18 - an average sort of night, using both traps again, with 72 moths of 34 species, including 3 FFYs, Dusky (1) and Canary-shouldered (4) Thorns, and Shaded Broad-bar, plus 2 FFGs, Water Veneer (Acentria ephemerella) (3 all dead as usual), and Cochylis atricapitana.  "Omly" 13 Straw Dots this time.

A middling session last night, with 59 moths of 28 species. FFY were Bryotropha domestica, Ringed China-mark, White-spotted Pug, The Magpie, Dark Sword-grass, Square-spot Rustic and Treble Lines. Highest counts were Mother of Pearl (11) and Straw Dot (5, my highest for this species).

2/8/18 - a noticeable difference using the MV trap as well as the Actinic, with 100 moths, of 30 species.  5 FFYs were Agriphila tristella. Knot Grass (2), Pandemis cerasana (2), Rosy Rustic and Flounced Rustic, plus FFG European Corn-borer (2).  The most numerous were Straw Dot (14).  Breakfast a bit later this morning!

My species total for the year now finally passed 200, (not before time).

p.m.  2/8/18 - A few strays from the morning added another 15 moths to the total, and 3 more species, 2 FFYs, Common Plume and Carcina quercana, and a FFG Agonopterix purpurea.  Straw Dots up to 21

258 moths counted.200 macros of 42 species + 1 unindent. pug.Straw dot(61+) Dingy footman(30) and Brimstone (15) dominated. Others were Cream bordered green pea,Mocha(2),Marbled beauty, Poplar kitten(2), Clouded border, Peach blossom, Light emerald, Poplar hawk, Frosted orange, Rosy rustic, Scorched carpet, Iron prominent, Gold spot(2), Cabbage and Dusky brocade. Micros 58 - 22 spp + 3 unidents.China marks dominated, mostly Ringed(13) and singles of Beautiful and Small, Mother of pearl(8). FFG -Yponomeuta plumbella and Nephopterix angustella. Others Carcina quercana, and my second Chrysoethia drurella, the first(20.7.18) was identified by David Agassiz during a recent session resolving a number of accumulated micro queries which included Cnephasia stephenasiana(19.6.18), Coleophora dearatella(21.6.18), Crassa unitella(28.7.18), Notocelia trimaculana(21.6.18) and Paranix devoniella(28.7.18). C.drurella appears to be the second record for VC6 and N. trimaculana the 3rd for VC6, two previous are both in my 10K square!

103 moths of 50 species (37 macro) a few FFY including: White-spotted Pug, Rosy Rustic, Gold Spot (2) and Bucculatrix nigricomella

1/8/18 - Hardly worth the effort, just 12 moths this time, 3 Willow Beauties, and 9 singletons, including a 2nd. generation Shuttle-shaped Dart, and a fresh FFY Depressaria daucella.  I think it's time to get the MV trap going again, hopefully attracting more moths, without being overwhelmed by vast numbers.

A strange night at Butleigh, fewer moths and spp that expected 28 macro spp and 14 micro spp, Blood Vein and Dingy Footman the most prevalent, the only FFY was Marbled Beauty. 10 Silver Ys, 2 Jersey Tigers and 2 Diamond Backs. Amongst the micros a nice Morophaga choragella. Where are all the Yellow Underwings, just 2 Small BBYUW. Red Underwing flying round the garden on Tuesday and a another Jersey Tiger yesterday.

I had a second unidentified Oegoconia at my kitchen window last night.

243 moths of 68 species. At last a catch that I can process in one day! A good start came early in the day with my first Red Underwing roosting on the wall by the front door. Another FFG was Maple Pug (4) and there were a further 8 FFY. : Honeysuckle Moth (1) ; August Thorn (2) ; Canary-shouldered Thorn (1) ; Pale Prominent (1) ; Iron Prominent (1) ; Small Rufous (1) ; Rosy Minor (1) and Least Yellow Underwing (1).  Plenty of Silver-y (27) but notably no Common Footman and no Large Yellow Underwing. Last year around this time I had 89 in the traps.