A Quad of August Thorn

Last night (23 August) I was trapping at an undisclosed site in the north of the county (not too far from Halesworth).

The hot and humid conditions resulted in a high catch of c150 species which included four August Thorns. I got absolutely soaked doing the traps this morning though. I had considered this species extinct in Suffolk as I’ve not heard of any reports in recent years. I would be keen to know where and when you last saw the August Thorn? The same applies to September Thorn, Pale Eggar and Figure of Eight – I fear they may have gone from our county now; since I started mothing.

Also recorded were three of the seriously declining Dusky Thorn and a single Canary-shouldered Thorn; a Tawny Wave, several Square-spotted Clays and a number of Lesser-spotted Pinions.

Micros included my second Lesser Wax Moth of the week.

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3 Responses to A Quad of August Thorn

  1. tonyhopkins says:

    Hi Matthew,

    My last August thorn was three nights ago! (ie at Spexhall on 22nd). The night of 23rd was good here too – Webb’s, bulrush, twin-spotted and brown-veined wainscots (I like wainscots). But no migrants to speak of.

    Tony H.

    • Matthew Deans says:

      Thanks Tony for the information. Have you recorded August Thorn in previous years? It may be that it is now restricted to the Halesworth area.

  2. tonyhopkins says:

    The last time I saw an August thorn here in Spexhall was in 2005 (my first year in Suffolk). Also saw one a couple of weeks ago at my son’s MV trap in Wiltshire, so didn’t think it was anything special…

    Good luck with the death’s head. I remember turning on my first garden MV trap exactly fifty years ago and hoping for a death’s head… I’m still waiting.

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