Ran 2 traps in an area of wet woodland and fen at IGC last night. Some notable species for the site seen and included the following: Dark spectacle, Ghost swift (3, 1 male 2 Females, few records here), Shaded fan foot, Caloptilia stigmatella, Orange moth (2nd site record, in the same area as the last one so maybe a small colony is present. Moth worn unfortunately!), Coleophora albitarsella and Phalonidia manniana. Also first records for year of Large emerald and Privet hawk. Just under 100sp.
I see that others are reporting ‘huge’ catches. This doesn’t seem to be the case here at IGC in my experience (having trapped this site for over 15 years). I would still say numbers of moths and species are way below where they should be for the time of year given the perfect conditions we have been getting recently. Normally after a warm night I would walk up to a trap with its sheet underneath covered with moths and this is not the case. Maybe it is just local fluctuations and the moths near me have been hit particularly hard by the weather. I would be interested to know if other recorders who have trapped their sites for a number of years are finding the same.
As an example I would normally be seeing over 100 individuals of Chysoteuchia culmella each night on average, this year I’m only getting a handful.
If I run lights tonight be interesting to see if the trend continues, with thundery conditions predicted could well be very good if the rain holds off until I get the traps in!
Neil
C. culmella is my most abundant at present. 61 on 4th followed by Uncertain and Heart and Club in the low 30s. Double Square Spot and Plutella xylostella then next at the 20 mark. I am finding the numbers captured quite a challenge to get through whilst identifying new species and making a collection so I no longer run traps every suitable night. I see a great diversity from capture records from Matthew though so am looking forward to keep building the list.