Tooth-hurty

Tuesday night Brian and I went to Herringfleet Hills. A dodgy night weather wise,with high temperatures and thunderstorms threatening, but these are the nights that can really pay off. Not too long into the night light rain began and got a little worse before giving up after half an hour or more. Traps deployed top of the Hills, were heaving with moths, marsh trap pretty good, Woodland traps not so good, but a Hornet free night. Given this night again, and future late Summer visits more focus should be spent at the high ground as the majority of the wetland species found their way up there. More than 230 species recorded, currently at 232 with some gen det on 3 or 4 additional species, although I have included Rufous Minor which is subject to det.
Top moth was Pigmy Footman. This was similar in size to Scarce Footman of which we had around 100. It may have been a migrant but more possibly came down the coast from Winterton in Norfolk. Second best moth was Evergestis limbata .Currently the most Northerly record for the species I believe, taking a bit of a leap up the coast. Muslin Footman, two specimens, first in the area, but there will be more from other sites on the Estate I’m sure. C.B.G-pea, Water Ermine, Scarce Silver-lines, Brown Scallop, Vapourer, Double-lobed, Purple and Triple-spotted Clay, Suspected, Garden Tiger, Hawk moths were Privet, Poplar, Pine,Lime and Elephant. Platytes alpinella, P. contaminella, Stathmopoda pedella,Woodsage Plume, gigantella, perlucidalis, gigantella, Eucosma conterminana the pick of the micros with Ostrinia nubilalis around the 15 mark. Migrants were Diamond-back 200 est. Silver Y 6, Dark Sword-grass 1,

With most of the traps on the higher ground potential for 250 species here on a similar night. A great night for us, leaving the scene after 4am.

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