Calybites phasianipennella

I was surprised to find this micro in the Robinson this morning. A Rusty-dot Pearl was the only migrant.

Boxing Day Pug

A Double-striped Pug indoors last night. Can't find any in the Herefordshire records earlier than March.
Phyl King

Early Early Moth

Not much else here at Norchard on a mild but windy night. Two Mottled Umber and a Beautiful Plume.
Happy New Year from Mike

Mothy Mutterings

The latest Mothy Mutterings newsletter from Butterfly Conservation is available via this link.
http://www.mothscount.org/uploads/Mothy%20Mutterings%20December%202015(1).pdf

Early species already!

The first night for what seems ages with little wind seemed a good excuse to stash a battery actinic in Trench Wood for 6 hours. Sod's Law as soon as I got it lit - light rain commenced,  so hand held an umbrella over the kit for the first hour! Moths were then coming in quite regularly so left it till 22:40. Amazed to see a Dyseriocrania subpurpurella in by 19:00 followed by a Pale Brindled Beauty. The final tally was a Caloptilia betulicola/elongella, Acleris cristana/hastiana which got away, Dark Chestnut, 13 Mottled Umbers, a Scarce Umber, 2 Feathered Thorns, December Moth,  15+ Winter Moths  and a Red Green Carpet. Got home to find another Pale Brindled Beauty in the garden Robinson. Both beauties are quite dark and very well marked which poses the question ' are the ones we normally see for the first time in January, these days already faded and worn?'.

Warndon: Pale Brindled Beauty

Trench Wood: Pale Brindled Beauty

Trench Wood: Scarce Umber

Bringsty Common Final Tally 2015

I've been here now for just over a year and have been running a moth trap on good nights throughout the period.  In the Summer I often ran 2 lights and one warm July night I even ran 3, there is just enough area so the lights don't conflict. My species total stands at 572. Micros came to 257 and macros 315. Only 1 county first and this was Coleophora tamesis, unless you want to count Delplanqueia inscriptella, but I suspect most dilutellas will turn out to be this species in the end.

Other news, 2 rarities caught this year in Herefordshire, one was Aplota palpella (palpellus), caught in the Brockhampton Estate which is the first record since 1899 and the other Salebriopsis albicilla, from Haugh Wood, which appears to be the second record, the first record was 2006, and more remarkable as it was caught well away from Small-leaved Lime. Robin and I are already planning trapping nearer to the foodplant for 2016. Peter Hall

Common Quaker

Common Quaker here at Norchard on the 30th of November. A bit unusual to be so early. Also Northern Winter moth and Winter moth.