I was astonished to discovered a pristine Sloe Carpet in a 125W MV Robinson trap at Bawdsey Hall this morning, complete with diagnostic white abdominal spots!
The last Suffolk records were way back in 2003 at Monks Eleigh (Watchman per AWP) and in 2002 at Great Cornard and Lavenham (Read & Underwood). Numerous attempts by the SMG to find the moth in the past 11 years have proved fruitless; so the Bawdsey record is all the more exciting. Perhaps we should be looking along the Suffolk coast too?
Also in the catch from 31 March was the third Bawdsey record of Dotted Chestnut. ‘Firsts’ for the year that night also included Northern Drab, Shuttle-shaped Dart and Waved Umber.
We caught what we were hoping to be Norfolk’s first Sloe Carpet last night here at Hindolveston but alas, it was just a late Early Moth (!)
Jon Clifton