21st Oct - but it's more like June-iper

After a week of cold clear night with temperatures down to 3 degrees, it was nice to finally get a cloudy, relatively still night, with little prospect of rain! Out comes the trap with Actinic/CFL combo. The results were pleasing for this time of year 17 moths of 7 species but these included a massive haul of 9 Juniper Carpets! I've never caught this species until about a week ago.

Other highlights included my second for the year of Feathered Thorn and Brick (which actually agreed to have it's photo taken this time!) and also a return of Grey Shoulder-knot. I caught this species for the first time in the early Spring but this is the Autumn generation.

There will hopefully be a couple of warm nights next week so I may get a few more traps in before the close season. I suspect my yearlist won't get much further now, but 332 is a massive jump from last years total of 249 (no doubt down to my much improved id skills this year!!) so I'm very happy. Roll on next year....I reckon the Actinic/CFL combo could be a big hit based on the results I've had this autumn.

Early October catch-up

Following last weeks cooler temperatures, things calmed down sufficiently enough (for this time of  year) to put the trap out a few times.

7th October - 5 moths of 5 species! November Moth was new for the year, but has been in every trap since!

8th October - much warmer and cloudier and despite putting my rain sheet over the trap site, it didn't rain. I managed 22 moths of 13 species which I wasn't disappointed with, but if I hadn't put the rainguard over the trap maybe there would've been more! Juniper Carpet was a great new find. Also had a Shuttle-shaped Dart which I'd not caught since August, and my second Flounced Chestnut.




9th October - Another smaller catch as it was quite gusty, 9 moths of 8 species - but Brick was new for the year and my second Rusty-dot Pearl turned up.

12th October - Another better night, still and fairly cloudy. 20 moths of 13 species. The best moth for autumn graced the trap - a cracking fresh Feathered Thorn! Also got four Green-brindled Crescent (although having looked through W&T I suspect two of these which were much smaller may have been Brindled Green). Of course I only photographed the two that looked better, which are definitely GBC! Another surprise was my second Oak Nycteoline of the year. Finally, I had this worn micro. Any ideas would be gratefully received!










13th October - 13 moths of 9 species. No new species for the year or October but still a good selection of species including Red-green and Juniper Carpets, Pink-barred Sallow and Green-brindled Crescent