File:Euplagia quadripunctaria (36985744435).jpg

A change of recording moths Due to time constraints coming up with family life and work I will probably just list new species for the year from now on and step down from the meticulous way of my moth recording that has been in place since 2008. Exciting times ahead and looking forward to being a father.

Moths will never totally be forgotten of course and I still look forward to what the future holds for my garden list (which will be my soul area of trapping for at least the first few years of fatherhood!).

So big lists being a thing of the past for now, i'm still enjoying lighting the moth trap up most nights in expectance of a garden first!

On the 28th of August I put an extra trap out in the garden at the bottom next to our flowering Buddleia and was rewarded the next morning with a garden first Jersey Tiger clinging to the side of the homemade Actinic trap. I was absolutely over the moon and i'm probably nearly one of the last to see one here in Hertfordshire as it's range continues to increase from the intial Thames valley stronghold.

Centre-barred Sallow was new for the year also on the 28/08/17. An early record for my garden but still just pipped by the earliest date of 27/08/13.

On Wednesday the 30th I recorded another new species for the garden, Cochylis dubitana (Black head, white palps) Externally it seems the same as atricapitana but this species has all black head and palps. On the same day just before dusk I was gardening and disturbed a Gracillaria syringella from our Conifer. I grabbed a pot and it was still there so a record shot was taken as it's an uncommon moth in my garden, this being only the second record and last recorded in 2014!

Other species of note was an aberrant Agriphila geniculea trapped on the 27th of August, a nice form of Acleris varigana on the 31st and a really pale brown Willow Beauty on the same night, different because most of mine are grey here.

Two species kept for dissection were from trapping on the 29th of August, a presumed Hellinisia species and possibly carphodactyla? and a tiny Stigmella species.

New Species for the Garden/Year Report - 28/08/17 - Back Garden - Stevenage - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap & 1x 40w Actinic Trap

Jersey Tiger [NFG] Centre-barred Sallow [NFY] Flounced Rustic [NFY]

New Species for the Garden/Year Report - 29/08/17 - Back Garden - Stevenage - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap

Hellinsia carphodactyla? (Gen Det TBC) Stigmella sp (Gen Det TBC)

New Species for the Garden/Year Report - 30/08/17 - Back Garden - Stevenage - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap

Cochylis dubitana [NFG]