23/05/12

9 degrees at dawn.

Taxa
Agonopterix species (Agonopterix sp.) 1
0464 Diamond-back Moth (Plutella xylostella) 2
0672 Parsnip Moth (Depressaria heraclei) 1
1126 Ancylis badiana 1 NFY
1376 Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) 1 NFY
1722 Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata) 1
1727 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 2 NFY
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 3
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 1
1902 Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata) 2
1918 Lunar Thorn (Selenia lunularia) 1 NFY
2000 Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius) 1 NFY
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1 NFY
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 4
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 3
2326 Clouded-bordered Brindle (Apamea crenata) 1 NFY
2450 Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1

30 Moths of 21 sp. A nice catch after the cold spell...

Ancylis badiana

Lunar Thorn

24/05/12

11 degrees, misty. Another few new species for the year. As can be expected at this late date...

Taxa
0017 Common Swift (Hepialus lupulinus) 1 NFY
0874 Blastobasis lacticolella 1 NFY
1727 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) 3
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 1
1902 Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata) 1
1920 Scalloped Hazel (Odontopera bidentata) 2 NFY
2006 Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma) 1
2008 Coxcomb Prominent (Ptilodon capucina) 1 NFY
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta) 1
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 5
2173 Lychnis (Hadena bicruris) 1 NFY
2441 Silver Y (Autographa gamma) 2 NFY

21 moths of 13 sp

Coxcomb Prominent

20/05/12
Taxa
1738 Common Carpet (Epirrhoe alternata) 1 NFY
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1834 Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata) 2 NFY
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1
2186 Powdered Quaker (Orthosia gracilis) 1
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 1
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1
2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 1 NFY

10 moths of 9 sp.

Angle Shades

22/05/12

8 degrees min last night, a bit cooler than inland. I'm still very pleased to get a change from the now regular hebrew and drab.

Taxa
1722 Flame Carpet (Xanthorhoe designata) 1 NFY
1728 Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata) 1
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 2
1902 Brown Silver-line (Petrophora chlorosata) 2 NFY
2006 Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma) 1
2060 White Ermine (Spilosoma lubricipeda) 4 NFY
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 3
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 2
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens) 3 NFY
2425 Nut-tree Tussock (Colocasia coryli) 1 NFY

20 Moths of 10sp

Nut Tree Tussock

Flame Carpet

Slow going...

16/05/12

6 degrees (again).

Taxa
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 1
2123 Small Square-spot (Diarsia rubi) 1 NFY
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 7
Plus 2 micros same sp to id...

12 moths of 5 sp

17/05/12

6 degrees (I wonder if my thermometer is stuck? Its been 6 degrees since February)

Taxa
1750 Water Carpet (Lampropteryx suffumata) 1
2006 Lesser Swallow Prominent (Pheosia gnoma) 1 NFY
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 1
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1

4 Moths of 4 sp.

Some snow not far away today!

Strong winds and heavy rain 6 degrees. Still, its better than the snow that fell west of Alnwick and in Durham today!

A late GMS night for me. My second Pale Pinion of the year was the highlight.

Taxa
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 1
2236 Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 1
2450 Spectacle (Abrostola tripartita) 1 NFY

3 moths of 3 sp

Still bloody baltic...

Just back from a short blast down to Northamptonshire to see Jane's sisters new baby. 15 degrees there today, quite nice.

7pm back home in Northumberland, blowing an absolute hoolie and 9 degrees...

No GMS session this week then.

Tick tock tick tock...

The clock is ticking. Well it would be if it wasn't digital but you know what I mean. 8th May here and still cold. A month ago things started to take a downturn on the moth front. I thought that would last a few days or maybe a week, but we are still here, waiting for a nice calm mild night.

I think I'll put the trap on tonight. I miss seeing a Hebrew Character beside a Clouded Drab...

My May total so far - 10 moths of 3 species. I hope something gives before the Yellow Underwings are out!

What a beauty...

Whilst there is a dearth of moths, Tom Tams has been asking me about my 10 year old record of Camberwell Beauty in my garden at Stobswood, Northumberland.

Here it is anyway, in case you are interested. How I wish I had a digital camera back then....

This is still probably the very best thing I have seen in the UK, better than the best birds even. Probably due to the fact that, at the time, I couldnt find anyone interested enough to come and have a look. With the new birders around broadening their outlook now, I bet the scene would be different if the date was 2012...

Camberwell Beauty, 5 Woodburn Street, Stobswood