Time to draw breath, after an excellent couple of weeks of moth-trapping in my garden (near Halesworth). Several new species for the garden list (lilac beauty, pebble hook-tip, small emerald, blue-bordered carpet), and a good assortment of ‘good’ things (reed dagger, coronet, lunar yellow underwing, water ermine, bordered sallow), and things I rather like to see (gold spot, peach blossom, maple prominent etc). All the ‘specialities’ of my area have turned up in fair numbers (scarce silver-lines, cream-bordered green pea, orange moth etc). Some, such as beautiful hook-tip and muslin footman, have had very good years (I’ve caught at least 50 of the former, and it’s still on the wing). No national rarities (a rose plume probably doesn’t quite quality). But a very exciting summer. Not very much migration so far, but I get the impression there is more ‘dispersal’ (eg of marshland species) than usual. And my garden butterflies are showing well – about 30 peacocks visiting the buddleia and hemp agrimony, plus a freshly-minted painted lady, 3 commas, 3 tortoiseshells, a red admiral and a lot of large whites et al. Rosy rustic, copper underwing and six-striped rustic have made an appearance in the trap over the past few days, which means the high season may be coming to an end. I’m still waiting for that elusive death’s-head hawk. Otherwise, no complaints…
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