File:Phyllonorycter geniculella (36606085502).jpg

Last night from the garden trap

Yesterday I switched my trap on at about 8.30pm and it was already getting dark, the long Summer nights are already a thing of the past. We had a lovely dinner and games night with friends and all the while I could see moths flying in towards the trap. By 10pm there was quite a few moths already to the light, but I was confident that after midnight things would be even better and indeed by 6am this morning the trap was 'heaving' by my garden standards with over 50 Large Yellow Underwing and 25 Vine's Rustic. In third place was Setaceous Hebrew Character with 22 examples.

Both Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and Dark Arches turned up again, I can't remember the last time I saw both of these together this year.

A single Copper Underwing was checked and revealed a year first Svensson's Copper Underwing which was pleasing.

A second record for the year of the second brood of Toadflax Brocade is always pleasing as they are such smart looking moths. I must add that I have yet to record the first brood here!

Cochylimorpha straminea was found on the edge of the perspex collar, a rare grassland moth for my garden, but a mere 6 miles away in decent grassland habitat i've caught hundreds in just one night! Maybe they don't like to stray too far from their happy environment.

There were also some very pleasing micro moths, firstly Dichrorampha simpliciana was new for the garden and the 28th new micro moth species for the garden this year bringing the total to 308.

Also second brooded Tachystola acroxantha, a rogue Acentria ephemerella, a stunning little Phyllonorycter geniculella and 2 year first species Epinotia ramella and Ypsolopha parenthesella made up the best of the rest.

All in all very pleasing considering it was cool and clear this morning.

Catch Report - 23/08/17 - Back Garden - Stevenage - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap

Macro Moths

1x Svensson's Copper Underwing [NFY] 2x Angle Shades 5x Double-striped Pug 6x Brimstone Moth 1x Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1x Cabbage Moth 4x Common Wainscot 1x Dark Arches 2x Garden Carpet 1x Iron Prominent 1x Knot Grass 53x Large Yellow Underwing 18x Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 4x Lesser Yellow Underwing 3x Light Emerald 2x Maiden's Blush 1x Nutmeg 4x Orange Swift 3x Pale Mottled Willow 5x Riband Wave 22x Setaceous Hebrew Character 1x Shuttle-shaped Dart 1x Small Dusty Wave 1x Small Square-spot 1x Snout 1x Spectacle 1x Straw Dot 3x Straw Underwing 1x Toadflax Brocade 2x Turnip Moth 25x Vine's Rustic 1x White-point 11x Willow Beauty 2x Yellow Shell

Micro Moths

1x Dichrorampha simpliciana [NFG] 1x Epinotia ramella [NFY] 1x Ypsolopha parenthesella [NFY] 1x Acentria ephemerella 5x Agriphila straminella 8x Agriphila tristella 2x Ambylptilia acanthdactyla 5x Blastobasis adustella 1x Blastobasis lacticolella 1x Cochylimorpha straminea 1x Cydia pomonella 5x Emmelina monodactyla 1x Endrosis sarcitrella 3x Epiphyas postvittana 1x Evergestis forficalis 1x Hofmannophila pseudospretella 1x Mompha propinquella 1x Pammene aurita 2x Pandemis heparana 1x Phyllonorycter geniculella 5x Pleuroptya ruralis 1x Pyrausta aurata