Like a chocolate box

A period away from the garden camping and technical issues with the travel trap has left little time to either trap or update the site. Yesterday was a full chance to change that and with the warm temps at the moment I was looking forward to what we would find.

It was encouraging as whilst these beauties are classed as common I still look upon them as gems.

Weather
Clear
Dry
Light Winds
Temps : 17.1C - 9C

Peppered Moth  x 1 (NFY)
Cinnabar moth x 2 (NFY)
Pebble Prominent x 1 (NFY)
Poplar Hawkmoth x 1 (NFY)
Flame Shoulder x 1 (NFY)
White Ermine x 1 (NFY)

Cinnabar Moth

Pebble Prominent

White Ermine

Flame Shoulder

Peppered Moth

A nice selection of moths. I have changed the bulb tonight for an LED UV 9W bulb. Usually I use a 20w  UV black energy save type bulb.

Not one but two.....

I had been reading about pheromone use in the luring of certain species. I thought that's up my street so I ordered from a well respected lepidoptera supplier. As the instructions stated how best to use and store them I had already got myself some netting, string, crocodile clips, and airtight containers. I have ordered four different lures for various species, mainly Clearwings but one I was particularly looking forward to trying was the Emperor Moth. It seems they are fairly widespread over the UK so I thought why not.

Whilst I had prepared everything for the project I was heavily reliant on mother nature providing some warm sunshine and a breeze. On this occasion she looked favourably on us!

Put the setup outside attached to a branch via the croc clip about 13:30. We sat outside facing the lure enjoying the sun. My wife went down on record as saying no chance wrong habitat......  well that's a challenge i would like to set straight then.

Now after an hour or two, whilst the sun shone and the wind was a strong breeze, we had nothing then a different, but very welcome visitor zipped around the garden briefly. We normally, if do do see them, are later in the year. This being a rather unusual Spring had us looking at another Moth species the Humming-bird Hawk-moth! It didn't stay long but I was quite pleased about it's early appearance.

After the excitement we got back to watching for any other visitors and at about 15:45, as we were doing a bit of weeding, a Male Emperor Moth fluttered around the lure. It would not settle despite my dash for the camera. After a few circuits it disappeared!

WOW was a real feeling about the visitors of the day.

It left me with the thought that seeing a Humming-bird Hawk-moth around the garden before a House Martin and Swallow was possibly a once in a lifetime thing....I hope. Or is this the changing face of migration I wonder?

It's a trickle rather than torrent.

The trickle suits me though as a torrent I would find to much...so a trickle it is.

Weather
Clear to Cloudy
Dry
Light Winds
Temps : 13.1C - 6.0C

Hebrew Character x 3
Common Quaker x 1
Small Quaker x 1 (NFG)
Clouded Drab x 3
Early Grey x 1
Mottled Grey x 1 (NFG)

Small Quaker

This was a new moth for the garden. Whilst some of the names given to any species of anything in the natural world can sometimes be misleading this one (small) is not. Very noticeable straight away in its much smaller size over the Common Quaker

Small Quaker

I very diminutive macro moth and sadly nothing about it really stands out other than it's size although it did stand out for the dark Kidney marks....

End of the Drab?

The forecast for the near future is bloody great....moth trap was out. It feels like we skipped spring and straight to summer...or is that more to do with the fact we have gone from 6C during the day straight to 14.8C today....did I say that this has been the warmest day this year!

Weather
Clear to Overcast
Dry
Light Winds
Temps : 6.6C - 6.7C

Hebrew Character x 2
Common Quaker x 1
Clouded Drab x 1 (NFY)

Thank you to Twitter for the help on the Clouded Drab. I thought as much but me having little experience I thought the lack of marking and colour left it to be no other option.

It's a first for the year in the garden and a welcome addition to the increasing species and numbers in general.

I had been out to work this morning and then was out with family this afternoon so i could not use my usual photo booth due to time so I thought this drab looking piece of wood would suffice.

Space Junk

Weather
Clear to Overcast
Dry
Light Winds
Temps : 10.6C - 0.7C

Hebrew Character x 1
Common Quaker x 3

Satellite x 1 (NFY) 

A quick photo shoot of the moths today. I new moth for the trap this year is this very well named Satellite.

The close up picture here on the right gives good reason for its name with the larger spots being orbited by the smaller "satellite" each side

Don't you just wish you had the chance to name some of these night time jewels?

On the path to seeing moths I noticed that many of the moths in this early stage of the year seem to be less worn than in the later individuals encountered. I prefer the less worn!

Like Buses.....

Weather
Overcast
Dry
Light Winds
Temps : 6.8C - 4.3C

Hebrew Character x 3
Common Quaker x 3

 I am happy to say that it's a steep learning curve with this new love of moths. The great thing I repeatedly say is that I am so grateful that I do not get 100s of moths to sift through.

 I am at a stage whereby I am happy to have low numbers in both species and total numbers.

The Common Quaker (I hope) (pictured) is quite numerous at present along with Hebrew Character.

A much warmer overcast night.

The forecast gave me hope that both a dry night and a warmer night would be in prospect. Dry and warm? Has spring finally arrived I wonder? I placed the trap in it's usual place and felt confident that activity would be noticed.

Weather Light Wind Cloudy Temp 10.3C - 5.1C

On turning off in the morning at 07:45 I was excited to note moths!

The Early Grey. A real gem of a small moth and due to us being new (second season) to mothing it's a first for the garden.

I was taken with this moth as looking at it close up it's quite "rough" or "textured" looking if that makes sense.

I placed it in the fridge for a little while whilst I set the photograph booth up. It helps keep the moth settled and lessens the chance of escape indoors.

Also noted 5 Common Quaker and Two Hebrew Character. Great stuff

Is this the start....I hope so.

Whilst the weather was not the best I just have to keep putting the trap out and hope. I have been doing that but with no results.

Overnight the weather was as follows between 19:30 - 08:00
5mm of rain
A light breeze
Temp 2.3 - 5.5C

The Hebrew Character is New For The Year but hopefully not the last! 

I am still messing about with the setup I use for taking photographs and the type of stage for the moth. Also the lighting takes some thought. I am happy at resent but do feel I could improve all of the variations.

A moth of March -April with a wingspan of 30-35mm. Readily comes to light.

Bingo.....

Pale Brindled Beauty

Pale Brindled Beauty

Seeing a few posts on Twitter about a few Moths being about I thought I would give the trap a go. Trouble is most people I follow are a lot further South or South East. Anyway I thought, no bulb on equals no chance so I put it out Friday night despite it being 0.3C at the weatherstation in the garden. It rained lightly then steadily from midnight and on checking the trap it drew a blank.

Not to be undone I put it out again Saturday night as the night time temps were to be a touch higher and only a small chance of rain.

Pale Brindled Beauty

Pale Brindled Beauty

The temps actually went from 0.3C-3.2C with no rain recorded.

Bingo! the first eagerly awaited moth of 2018

Winter is too long.....

Since my wife and I built a moth trap mid year 2017 we have been quite taken with the Moths. Don't get me wrong we don't get 300 moths of 20 species in a night hell we don't even get 30 of 5!.

One thing is for sure, I have been waiting and watching the weather station temps urging for double figures.....trouble is our home is planted in the North West of England 820ft above sea level so temps can be cool for a while with the more than average rainfall which is making the whole wait seem like forever.

In truth I am predicting that it will be at least mid March before the temps raise high enough to entice a few night time butterflies into the trap.....until then we wait!