Brindled Pug 1 shot before it blew away off the slate!

6 degrees min last night. Numbers still dwindling...I will give it a miss tonight and next week's not looking too clever either....

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 1
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 1 NFY
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 4
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 2
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 4
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 11

25 moths of 8 sp

The Arboreal Bombus....

A sharp drop to 3 degrees overnight resulted in a reduced catch. Highlight though was my first Tree Bee, Bombus hypnorum hidden nicely in the bottom egg tray. A lifer!

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1775 Mottled Grey (Colostygia multistrigaria) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 7
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 2
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 20
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1

35 moths of 8 sp.

Tree Bee

Tuesday 27th March...

6 degree min. A nice light phase Water Carpet the highlight, my other two were dark ones.

Taxa
0663 Diurnea fagella 2
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 2
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 1
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1775 Mottled Grey (Colostygia multistrigaria) 2
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 5
2179 Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 4
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 6
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 4
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 19
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1

49 moths of 13sp

Wednesday 28th March...

6 degrees min but much milder early on due to some light cloud cover. Highlight was my 4th and earliest Pale Pinion.

Taxa
0663 Diurnea fagella 2
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 7
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 1
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1775 Mottled Grey (Colostygia multistrigaria) 1
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 5
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 12
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 3
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 8
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 46
2236 Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 1 NFY
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 2

92 moths of 14 sp.

A new Mottled Grey image, outside the pot...

Pale Pinion.

Powdered Quaker

4 degrees min.

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 1
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 3
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 2
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 6
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 1 NFY
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 4
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 7
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 39
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 2

69 Moths of 12 sp

Saturday 24th March -

Foggy with 3 degrees min.

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 3
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 3
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 32
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1

43 moths of 8 sp

Sunday 25th March -

5 degrees min.

Taxa
0663 Diurnea fagella 2
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 3
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 1
1775 Mottled Grey (Colostygia multistrigaria) 2
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 2
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 5
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 5
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 6
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 40

70 moths of 11 sp.

GMS Wk 4

Early Thorn

5 degree min but misty and foggy this am.

Taxa
0663 Diurnea fagella 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 4 NFY
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 7
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 4
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 2
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 3
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 43

65 moths of 8 sp

Zero degrees and a light frost at dawn.

Taxa
0663 Diurnea fagella 1
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 1 NFY
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 8
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 35

48 moths of 7 sp.

Water Carpet.

4 degrees and clear after a nice day. Best catch of the year so far with another Yellow horned and an early Water Carpet the highlights.

Taxa
0663 Diurnea fagella 1
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 4
1659 Yellow Horned (Achlya flavicornis) 1
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 1
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1 NFY
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 1
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 2
2179 Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 8
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 11
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 2
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 62
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 2

101 moths of 16 sp.

What started as a promising night with 9 degrees, had to be abandoned at 11pm due to a gale force westerly wind. The trap looked like it might end up in the sea!

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 3

As a result only 6 moths of 4 sp recorded.

17/03/11...0 degree min with a frost before midnight. Clear sky.

Taxa
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 2
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 12

20 moths of 7 sp.

GMS Week 3. A Garden First!

Yellow Horned - Garden First.

Pine Beauty

Diurnea fagella

Twin Spotted Quaker without spots! An unusually marked female. 

After two nights of rest, a mild start to last night ended with a cooler 4 degrees.

Still, Yellow Horned is a new species for the garden and one of my 'most wanted'...


Taxa
0663  Diurnea fagella  2 NFY
0688  Agonopterix heracliana  1
1659  Yellow Horned (Achlya flavicornis)  1 NEW
1663  March Moth (Alsophila aescularia)  1
1775  Mottled Grey (Colostygia multistrigaria)  2
1926  Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria)  1
2139  Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa)  1
2179  Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea)  1 NFY
2182  Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda)  4
2187  Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi)  9
2188  Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta)  4
2189  Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda)  1 NFY
2190  Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica)  36
2256  Satellite (Eupsilia transversa)  2
2258  Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii)  5


71 moths of 15 sp.

Mottled Grey from 2011, no time for pics in daylight due to work.

6 degree min, with a record count, for me, of Mottled Greys...The largest catch of the year so far but the species list was down.

Taxa
1775 Mottled Grey (Colostygia multistrigaria) 5 NFY
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 5
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 5
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 6
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 48
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 2

72 moths of 7 sp

Not Extinct!

Acrolepiopsis betulella

This 'unidentified' micro caught by Tom Tams and Keith Dover in a nearby woodland has now been identified as - Durham Tinea, Acrolepiopsis betulella. This moth was thought to be extinct in the UK since the 19th century. It was rediscovered in Scotland in 1985, but this is the first south of the border for well over a century.

For a moth who's foodplant is Ramsons it makes you wonder why so rare?

What a catch! Congratulations chaps.

Meanwhile, back in the real world...

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 2
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 2
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 1
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 3
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 8
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 26
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 3

49 moths of 9 sp.

Clouded drab, a nice red one.

A very warm day yesterday, , 16 degrees, but down to 2 degrees at dawn this morning. Best catch of the year so far.

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 5
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 2
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 3
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 5
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1 NFY a reddish coloured one.
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 29
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 2
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1

51 moths of 10sp.

4 degrees min. No Clouded Drab yet? No doubt they'll arrive soon...

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 2
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 2
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 2
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 1
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 3 NFY
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 3
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 22
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1

36 moths of 8 sp.

Small Quakers

GMS Wk 2

No trapping for a week due to cool breezy weather.

Pale brindled Beauty melanistic form.

Common Quaker

Not a bad night, last night, but there was a very bright moon and a breeze. 6 degree min.

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 2
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 2
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 1 melanistic form.
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 1 NFY
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 15
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1

25 moths of 9 sp.

GMS Week 1

Oak Beauty

Blowy last night, 4 degrees. I was surprised to catch anything.

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 1 NFY
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 3
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 1

7 moths of 5 sp. Takes me to 17 species for the year in the garden compared to 14 species at this point in 2011 and only 3 species in 2010!.

The last two nights...

Tuesday 28th February...

After a very warm day, the min temp this morning was 6 degrees at dawn.
A good catch for this time of year with three year additions. The Early Grey seems early?

Taxa
0461 Ypsolopha ustella 2
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 11
1055 Acleris hyemana 2 NFY
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 1 NFY
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 26
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1 NFY the earliest county record by 11 days!
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 4
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 3

51 moths of 9 sp.

March Moth

Early Grey

Wednesday 29th February... 

3 degrees min. Spring Usher was only my third in the garden. Another nice February catch.

Taxa
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 2
1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 1
1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 1
1932 Spring Usher (Agriopis leucophaearia) 1 NFY
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 1 NFY
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 14
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 3
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 2
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1

26 Moths of 9 sp.

Spring Usher

Dotted Border