Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

Ian, I completely agree with your view that it has been a strange year so far moth-wise.  It seems to me to be entirely down to the generally low night time temperatures.  For example last night, July 3, it was down to 8 degrees and I had only 15 species in the garden trap with only one first for 2008 a Scalloped Oak while on July 2nd when 12 degrees was the lowest and I had 40 species including the first Buff Arches and the first second brood Early Thorn.

I have finally succumbed to the children's pressure and am now connected to the internet. I have so enjoyed reading through the latest sightings that I will try to join in on a regular basis. I am having a strange year moth-wise. The number of different species is standing up reasonably well but the number of individuals is about 20% of what it was in 2003 and 2004 and less than half of the numbers even for last year. However we have not yet had a night where the weather conditions would lead me to expect a bumper catch. Up to the end of June I had recorded 170 different species of macro in my garden. The highlights have been my first Tawny Pinion on 15/03/08, Dark Spectacle on 08/05/08, Narrow Winged Pug on 09/05/08, Poplar Kitten on 20/05/08, my first live Lobster Moth on 11/06/08 ( I'd only found a pair of wings left by the local sparrows before), and my first Lackey since 2002 on 25/06/08.

Those forecasting warm muggy nights seem to forget Westonzoyland, another poor return total of 58 macros for 30 species new for year Dunbar Plain Golden Y and Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing.

I agree with Doug - generally poor this year with the best being 27th June with 173 individuals of 69 species. Almost all the new species were micros (thanks to James McGill for IDs!). One nice specimen was the Large Tabby shown below.


1421 Large Tabby Aglossa pinguinalis

30th June still very poor just 33 macro, new for year Shoulder Striped Wainscot and Double Square Spot, looking back through records for this date numbers of species were about 50 for the night thedifference being in the totals for the day ie; last night Heart & Dart 10 in 1995 197.