Seeing the various reports of multiple Hawkmoths elsewhere, I am quite jealous.  I have only recorded 14 in total this year, 8 Poplar, 4 Elephant and 2 Small Elephant.  Not only that, but no Tigers either, apart from a few Rubies, which don't really count. Very odd.

Last night's forecast initially looked promising but the night ended up clear and moonlit. There wer 59 moths of 28 species. FFY were Agapeta hamana, Acleris forsskaleana and Agriphila straminella. One Ypomoneuta specimen looked a good candidate for Spindle Ermine. Jersey Tigers are doing well again here, with 4 last night. It's also been a good year for Elephant Hawk-moth. Two last night brought the year's total up to 51, my second highest total (after 66 in 2018).

Trapped until 2330hrs.

42 moths of 18 species. NFY was a Garden Pebble. NFG was a Webb's Wainscot. Others of note were 13 Jersey Tigers, with 5 form lutescens. Mocha, Elephant Hawkmoth and a Cabbage moth. Webb's Wainscot

Not as many moths as I would have expected considering the conditions (the story of the year I feel for me!). Only 42 species. Highlights:

Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Mocha, Straw Underwing, Magpie, Dusky Thorn, Blood-vein, Beautiful Plume, Rusty-dot Pearl.

Night of 5/8. I ran two traps for three hours. Persistent drizzle didn’t deter the moths of which 342 of 82 species were recorded.

Macro (56 species) incl: Orange Swift, Oak Hook-tip, Peach Blossom, Oak Eggar, Drinker, Mocha, Clay Triple-lines, Small Phoenix, Small Rivulet, V-Pug, White-spotted Pug, Wormwood Pug, Sharp-angled Peacock, September Thorn, Black Arches, Copper Underwing, Small Wainscot, Small Dotted Buff, Minor Shoulder-knot, Clay etc.

Micro (26 species) incl: Caloptilia stigmatella, Syncopacma taeniolella, Adaina microdactyla, Pandemis corylana, Lozotaeniodes formosana, Agapeta zoegana, Apotomis betuletana, Hedya salicella, Zeiraphera isertana, Scoparia subfusca, Catoptria pinella, Catoptria falsella etc.

Butterfly: A female Gatekeeper, the first time I’ve seen this species in a trap.

A very good night with 75 species including two NFG - a Shaded Broad-bar (at last!) and Catoptria pinella. Also three other species I haven't seen for quite a few years: Mouse Moth (2015), Cabbage Moth (2017) and Ear Moth agg. (2015). The other FFY's were: Coleophora mayrella, Beautiful Plume, Copper Underwing (2), Sallow Kitten, Acrobasis advenella (4), Dusky Thorn (3) and Cypress Pug.

Putting the garden trap on this evening I noticed a dead Toadflax Brocade in the bottom of the trap which would have been caught on 1st August (the last time I trapped). A bit disappointing not to notice it that morning as I'm still yet to see a live imago.

Traps in the last 2-3 weeks of July have been very similar in both numbers and species with very little variety. August saw a welcome uplift to 178 moths and 62 species. FFY were Oegoconia sp. (probably quadripuncta which I have had confirmed in previous years), a very dark Shaded broad bar, Marbled green, Straw underwing, Oak eggar and Sallow kitten. couple of micros still to sort out.

Confirmed from 18th July by Paul Wilkins, thank you Paul.

Elachista subocellea (female).Just one modern record VC6 in 1994 and 2 older records for VC5 -1906 and 1988.

Monopsis crocicapitella (male) An interesting distribution and pattern of recording. In VC6 the locations are restricted to near the coast whereas in VC5 the majority are well inland. This record is the first inland for VC6 according to the SMG map. There are multiple records for many of these locations so a total of 35-40 in all, 90+% of which are from 2007 and it has been recorded every year since then.

3/8/20 - early breakfast this morning - a mere 24 moths, 12 species.  Even the Common Footmen (5) stayed away - must have been the full moon. The only ones of any real interest were a female Oak Eggar and a 2nd. generation Pale Prominent

1/8/20 - a much quieter night than recently, with just 64 moths so far, of 21 species.  No FFYs, but one FFG - a Lesser Swallow Promnent.  This is only the second one I have ever trapped - I only had the one at my former site in East Lydford.  Common Footmen (33) again the most numerous.

p.m.  2/8 - a further 9 moths and 3 species rounded up - nothing new.

67 species (24 of which were micros), FFY were: Pseudoswammerdamia combinella, Acleris forsskaleana (3), Parornix anglicella (2), Agriphila selasella, Yarrow Plume, Endothenia marginana, Rosy Footman (2), Engrailed (my second record), Small Phoenix (my third record), Cloaked Minor (2) and Brussels Lace.

Caught 148 moths of 49 species last night. Highlights; Cloaked Minor (2), Dingy Footman, Knot Grass, Pale Prominent (2), Ruby Tiger (3), Agapeta hamana (2), Coronet, Jersey Tiger (2), Rusty-dot Pearl, Single-dotted Wave, Yponomeuta plumbella (2), Peppered Moth, Rosy Footman (2).

Much quieter last night - 44 moths of 22 species. Only FFY was Small yellow Wave. I had two Jersey Tigers, one of which was form lutescens, the first I've recorded.

Night of 31/7.

FFG: Aspilapteryx tringipennella.

13 Jersey Tiger incl. one f. lutescens. Previous double-figure counts: 19 on 16.8.19, 11 on 21.7.18 and 10 on 26.7.18.

Aspilapteryx tringipennella.

Curry Rivel

Evening of 30.7.2020

56 moths of 24 species. NFG was a Jersey Tiger ab. lutescens. NFY was a Small Phoenix. Others of note were Water Veneer 2, Gold Triangle x 4, Small Waved Umber, Lime-speck Pug, Jersey Tiger x 3.

Evening of 31.7.2020, with a short rain shower

40 moths of 20 species NFY were Pyrausta purpuralis, Miller and a Small Yellow Underwing. Others of note, Leopard moth, Sallow Kitten, Coronet, Marbled Beauty and Marbled Green.

A pleasant surprise last night was three pristine Jersey Tigers