I trapped until midnight with 11 moths of 9 species to show for it. Two FFY December Moth (3) and my first Ypsolopha ustella since 2015 - thanks to James McGill for the ID.


Ypsolopha ustella.

Winter Moth emerged today from larva collected on Exmoor back in April.  It appears to be new for 10 km square SS83.

I've managed to put together a web page which shows the correct distribution maps for some of the macro-moth species where the site maps aren't displaying correctly.  At the time of writing, I've done the swifts and the noctuids, but not the rest of the species.

(Please let me know if any of the links are wrong)

Distribution maps (temporary page) 

26/11/18 - not having trapped for 10 days, what with the cold wind and low temperatures, I tried last night.  Waste of time really, not one moth in the traps or nearby, so I may try again on Thursday night, which is apparently going to be milder and dry - we'll see.

Regarding Paul Bowyer's record of Tuta absoluta, according to the UK Moths website, this is a recently (2009) arrived adventive pest species of tomatoes, and is subject to DEFRA protocols to try to prevent its spread.  A nice try, DEFRA, but probably doomed to failure, by the look of it.  The genie, as they say, looks to be out of the bottle (or is it lamp?) I certainly don't want it in my greenhouse, and nor I expect does anybody else.  So if your tomatoes develop holes/frass/larvae, don't be too surprised !!

I have finally had confirmation of the IDs of two moths I caught on 31st. August, which had me stumped, one pure white Geometer, and a small plain beige Noctuid.  After gen.det. by Phil Sterling, via Robin Clatworthy, who was also somewhat stumped, they were respectively identified as a Common Wave, and a Common Wainscot. Not very exciting !!  Both moths were completely devoid of obvious markings (except under a microscope, apparently), hence the problem I had.  The consensus of opinion is that they had very likely spent an unusually short time in pupation, due to the hot weather, and so may have failed to develop their full markings.  This is only conjecture, of course.  We live and learn!!

Just heard back from John Langmaid who has confirmed the Tuta absoluta caught in Milton, Weston-super-Mare on 16th November. I think this could be new to VC6 and one for others to look out for as it appears to be spreading.

Tuta absoluta

18 moths of 14 species in my parents garden in Shipham on 16th November, possible migrants included single White-speck, Dark Sword-grass and Silver Y whilst Pale Mottled Willow and Setaceous Hebrew Character were noteworthy late records.

1.5 hours of leaf mining at Shapwich Heath also on 16th November produced 22 species including NFM Stigmella sakhalinella, Phyllonorycter stettinensis, Phyllonorycter klemannella and Acrolepia autumnitella.

And a quick look in Weston-super-Mare on 17th November yielded mines of Stigmella tiliae, Bucculatrix thoracella and Phyllonorycter platani, all NFM.

Radford’s Flame Shoulder the undoubted highlight at Stone Allerton on Friday night, also Delicate, Silver Y, 4 Turnip, Vine’s Rustic.

16/11/18 - it looks as if everyone else but me is getting moths - here last night one solitary male Winter Moth (FFY), and that was on the wall, not in the trap.  Oh well, keep on trying like Theresa M.

A foul night up here in the clouds with 'mizzle' most of the night, but the moths seemed to like it. Several migrants showed, including : Diamond-back Moth (2) ; Rusty-dot Pearl (4) and my first Gem. Others of note : Ypsolopha ustella (1) ; Acleris Sparsana (3) ; Eudonia angustea (1) ; December Moth (9) ; Spruce Carpet (8) ; Red-green Carpet (21) ; Feathered Thorn (7) ; FFY Scarce Umber (1) ; Mottled Umber (4) ; Yellow-line Quaker (22) ; Satellite (1) and LYU (4).

7 Palpita vitrealis caught last night a record count for me outnumbering the 3 Silver Y. I also trapped a little micro that seems to fit Tuta absoluta, the female genitalia also match those on the dissection web site.

12 species here last night with a Palpita vitrealis (FFY), a worn Rusty Dot Pearl (FFY), 2 December Moth (FFG) and Acleris cristina (FFG). A good range of autumn fare otherwise.

20 macros last night but they did include a Gem, a Silver Y and a Delicate. I also had my 2nd Palpita Vitrealis of the autumn which made it a surprisingly good night for migrants.

17 moths of 12 species. Odd assortment - 2nd generation Dark arches(2) and presumably third generation Double striped pug. Amongst others Satellite, Feathered thorn(2), Blairs shoulder knot, Winter moth, Beaded chestnut, Prays fraxinella.

18 moths of 11 species and almost a completely different set of species from the previous night with late appearances of Vine's Rustic, Garden Carpet, Beaded Chestnut (3) and Crocidosema plebejana.

8 moths at Stone Allerton last night including a Gem, Sprawler and Large Wainscot.

My first trap for well over a week, the conditions seemed good (if a little breezy) but only 19 moths of 11 species were recorded. The best was my first Dark Sword-grass for a few years.

13/11/18 - small numbers again, in spite of a quite mild night, just 11 moths of 5 species, including FFY December Moth (2), and another Large YU, extending my latest record date.  Will there be more?  Watch this space.

After a break in trapping of over 2 weeks last nights trap saw 8 moths . 3 Yellow - line Quaker , 3 Feathered Thorn , 1 Winter Moth agg . and 1 Sprawler .

A Sprawler, only my fifth record, was my 290th macro of the year. The most species I have recorded in a year before is 293 and there are still a few possibles left this year. However with the ones I've failed to see I can easily see that 300 different species in a year can be obtained. Had I not missed out on Pale Brindled Beauty, Mullein, Light Brocade, May Highflyer, Scarlet Tiger, Scarce Silver Lines and Red Underwing( all regulars for the last 10 years ) I would almost be there now.

11/11/18 - Not a lot to report, either numbers or species variety.  Just 9 and 6 respectively.  The only ones of mild interest were a late Cypress Carpet, and a very late Large Yellow UW - I have only ever had half a dozen November records previously, and this is the latest of them all.

8/11/18 - As a letter to the Times pointed out a couple of days ago, this date is not just a horizontal palindrome, but is also the same upside down - quite an unusual event in itself, but the third such this year.

However, getting back to mothing, last night (in spite of a fair amount of wind) produced 14 moths of 6 species. Nothing new, but there were 7 Feathered Thorns, the most I have ever recorded in one night, and there was a very fresh Silver Y, which I suspect is more likely to be home bred than migrant.  Who knows?  To cap it all, an Ichneumon Wasp appeared, looking somewhat dopey.  Does anyone know if they are supposed to be flying at this time of year?  It certainly seemd a bit lost !  I'm also still getting the odd Caddis Fly too.

Numbers still up here on a mild night (10.2c), with 125 moths of 16 species. FFY was a Mottled Umber. There were good numbers of Yellow-line Quaker (59) ; Feathered Thorn (19) ; Red-green Carpet (11) and November Moth agg (9). Others included Grey pine carpet (1) ; Spruce Carpet (3) ; Green-brindled Crescent (3) ; Barred Sallow (1) Lunar Underwing (1) Merveille du Jour (3) and Black Rustic (2).

Chris - it looks right.  Maybe yet another species having an unusual additonal brood, as with so many this year, and its hot summer.

I appear to have just caught a Clouded-bordered Brindle.  Surely the wrong time of year, or am I making some bizarre mistake?

I ran two traps for the last two nights without a great deal of success with only 37 moths in total of 14 species and nothing new. Meanwhile only a mile away James McGill was having much better luck recording an Oak Rustic - see his picture below.


Oak Rustic, Dryobota labecula

4/11/18 - marginally better than the last time, with 13 moths of 7 species, but nothing new.  Another early breakfast.

Temp. dropped to 5.2c but still a reasonable 77 moths of 14 species. Yellow-line Quaker (35) has taken over the LYU role with a support cast of : Grey pine Carpet (1) ; Red-green Carpet (10) ; November Moth (3) ; Feathered Thorn (2) ; Green -brindled Crescent (1) ; Beaded Chestnut (5) ; Red-line Quaker (1) ; Brick (1) ; Chestnut (10) ; Grey Shoulder-knot (1) ; Black Rustic (1) ; Merveille du Jour (3) and a very late, rather tatty Square-spot Rustic.

2/11/18 - Hardly worth the effort.  In spite of the milder weather, only 3 moths last night, singles of Fearhered Thorn, Beaded Chestnut and Merveille du Jour.  Ho hum

31/10/18 - After a few cold nights, a slightly milder one was forecast, with some rain later, so I tried the traps.  21 moths came calling, of 9 species, one of which is a UFO awaiting word from John Bebbington.  Otherwise, the usual bunch, with Red-line Quakers (5) the most common, followed by Feathered Thorn and November Moth agg. (4 each).