Yesterday evening I was joined by Adrian Russell & Keith Tailby who came over from the midlands hoping to see first generation Balsam Carpet on one of my sites on the Norfolk bank of the river Waveney. As per usual, thick cloud that had hung about all afternoon began to clear as soon as the traps emerged and we were not very optimistic about making 30 species. But after a slow start, by the time we had started our final check around 10.30 the species tally was slowly going up and as we inspected the final trap it stood at 39. There in the last trap was no. 40 a nice fresh Swallow Prominent. For me the new ones for the year were C. proximella, Mottled Pug, Oak-tree Pug, V-pug, Green Carpet, Small Phoenix, Clouded Border, Frosted Green (finally), Waved Umber, Muslin Moth (a new species for the site) and Balsam Carpet which turned out to be the most abundant moth of the evening with 17 counted. So the long trip from the midlands by my two companions was not in vain and we left the site at midnight feeling satisfied.
Thanks to Keith’s information, we also had a good view of the International Manned Space Station passing overhead about 10.30.
Brian