Tipping point

I think the couple of wild nights we’ve just had have tipped us into autumn. I trapped in the garden last night; the comparison was interesting. Total catch on the 8th was 153 moths of 35 species. Last night was 86 moths of 16 species. Apart from the obvious halving of both total numbers and species diversity there were some clear trends – setaceous hebrew character down from 21 to 3, large yellow underwing down from 30 to 13. Lunar underwing gone completely. But some species (the more robust seasonal species like merveille du jour, yellow-line quaker, brindled green, green-brindled crescent) actually increased. Migrants seem to have been wiped out (only one silver y), as have ‘hangers on’ (snout etc). So we seem to be back to an average autumn, waiting for a warm southerly.

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3 Responses to Tipping point

  1. keith says:

    Hi Tony, I’m located 2 miles from the coast west of Gorleston. Records cut off for L-album around Southwold, I think the further inland you are the less likely to get them but not sure about this. It could be that a trapping session at North Denes, Lowestoft could find them there. I might go looking next year.

    Keith

  2. Raymond Watson says:

    32 species here at Hollesley last night with Rush Veneer, Scarce Bordered Straw and Dark Swordgrass still around, but the latter is a regular here anyway. Also picked up a Dark Chestnut.

  3. Neil says:

    Didn’t trap here at IGC last night but did check the Ivy, noticeable increase in Yellow-line quaker on there up from around 10 that I have been getting to over 20. Usual count of Chestnut moths, I think they are going to hibernate in the patch and just crawl out to feed. Only addition to my Ivy year total was a Common marbled carpet.
    I too am hoping for a warm southerly before the season comes to an end. May be a long wait to trap again once winter arrives if the predictions for a really bad one are correct.

    Neil

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