At last, a moth of the night!

Herringfleet Hills was the venue for Brian and I on 17 July. The same five traps set out as before covered all the habitats. A breeze in the tree tops bordering the marsh strengthened during the night. Yet the marsh trap was placed in calm conditions ending slightly breezy. A very warm night and on the high ground, dead calm to start, gentle breeze to finish. The trap here producing by far the most species. Packing up on the second trap round concluded around 3.30am. Thousands of moths taken including what must have been over 1,000 culmella, A squadron of Poplar Hawks were joined by good numbers of Elephant Hawk-moths. Pine and a single Privet also put in an appearance. Suspected, Shaded and Dotted Fan-foot, European Corn-borer (4), E. extimalis, Dark Spectacle, Garden Tiger, Leopard Moth, Miller, several Peach Blossom and Swallow-tail all helped make up the numbers. Large Yellow Underwing seen in number for the first time this season. I was interested to see Short-cloaked moth as I don’t think I’ve seen it before. Brian saw his first Oak Eggar, a regular moth for me at home. Singles of Silver Y and Diamond-back the migrants. Highlight though had to be the Grey Carpet found in the sheet trap at the end of the night, the only trap we hadn’t checked due to pressing time on the first round. A fitting end to a great nights mothing. Thanks for Brians commitment and time spent doing all the micros, making it to 161 species.

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