January 30th 2020

It takes a lot to stir me from my Winter laziness regarding active trapping, but last night I went off to Wigmore Rolls and ran a trap for a couple of hours. Not very exciting with just 4 species. Pale Brindled Beauty (18), Chestnut (8), Dark Chestnut (3) and Agonopterix heracliana (1).  I also put a trap in the garden at home on Bringsty Common nearest the woody area and was rewarded with 5 species. Torticodes alternella (31), Pale Brindled Beauty (4), Dotted border (2), Early (1) and Spring Usher (1). Not very exciting! Peter Hall

Wigmore Rolls: Chestnut

Wigmore Rolls: Pale Brindled Beauty

Bringsty Common: Tortricodes alternella

Bringsty Common: Dotted Border

Bringsty Common: Early moth

Bringsty Common: Spring Usher

 

Warndon Wood late January 2019

The still annual, first battery Actinic Skinner field outing to Warndon Wood in thick cloud and 8.5 degrees C got great results again last night. But for how much longer ? The council owned NR is adjacent to 'green belt' land sold off and already sporting two huge warehouse frames and blinding arc lights. The wood was mentioned in the Doomsday Book itself and now Doomsday may soon  be the word for the woods remaining wildlife. By 22:20 there 53 Spring Ushers including 2 melanistic forms which I have not seen anywhere before.

Spring Usher

Mottled Umber

Early Moth

  8 Pale Brindled Beauty included 3 fresh bottle green 'melanic forms' as well as a tiny individual. A single Dotted Border and at least one brown form Mottled Umber were noted. These always seem to persist longer into the new year than the blatant patterned forms. 2 Satellites, 4 Chestnuts, a Winter Moth, 18 Tortricodes alternellas plus an Early Moth torched in nearby hawthorn hedge.

Pale Brindled Beauty

Early January 2020

A couple of very mild, cloudy nights on January 5th and 7th got the Warndon garden Robbo year off to a good start. 2 male Winter Moths, 2 Spring Ushers, 3 Mottled Umbers, a Beautiful Plume, 3 Ypsolopha ustella, Acleris schalleriana and an interesting Acleris hastiana the 'star moth'.

Acleris hastiana

Spring Usher

 Half the moths were actually on nearby walls, fence panals and the garden table so maybe the 125watt is too much for this time of year?

Bringsty Common

Although it will go down as a record from the 31st, technically it was just after midnight, so my first 2020 record. Up until then I have been getting Winter moths attratced to the Christmas lights, this is my first Early moth....and so it all begins again.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and hoping you are all sorting out your 2019 records now for sending to the relevant County Moth Recorders. I'm busy with data entry! Peter Hall

Bringsty Common Early moth