Forecast conditions for this night were quite promising, with some cloud cover and warmth. After a bit of a bumpy ride through the forest we arrived at the large ride being managed for Dingy skippers and since our last visit the habitat looked much better with a large area of herb rich grassland to trap around. 8 traps were deployed, 7 mvs plus a twin 30w actinic. Moths were soon coming in, keeping us very busy. Checking the traps later on found them buzzing too, took us quite a while to go round them. The bright moon did come out from behind the clouds on a few occasions but it did not seem to affect the moths too much. No coat required all night as the temperature stayed up too. My list in my notebook at the end of the night had just over 200sp written down in it, but I know I missed some of the species at one trap I was checking (others were noting the moths down here) and with quite a few determinations to do this total is going to increase. Certainly the best and most interesting moth night since last summer. Quite a few high summer moth trapped much earlier in the year than expected, seemingly showing the season is quite advanced.
Was getting light by the time I got home, one of those occasions where you have to dodge the milkmen doing their deliveries!
Highlights, of which there were many, included the following, starting with the macros.
Red-necked footman (at least 40 seen, at every trap so must be breeding in the area), Fern (quite a few, not a moth that I see very often), Festoon, Cream-spot tiger, Toadflax pug, Satin wave, Pretty chalk carpet, Beautiful golden Y, Purple clay, Shaded pug, Haworth’s pug, Beautiful hook-tip (quite a few), Clay triple lines, Satyr pug, Broom-tip (at least 8 seen), Brown scallop, Dotted fan-foot, Clouded buff, Coronet, Bordered sallow, 4 dotted footman, Royal mantle (at least 2), Tawny wave, Clouded magpie (a few), Mere wainscot, Wood carpet, Clay (first for year), Broom, White colon (2), Alder, Grey arches, Green arches, Grass emerald.
Micros of note, some of which are very good county records:
Pempelia dilutella (quite good numbers), Ethmia dodecea (common), Sitochroa verticalis, Cydia fagiglanda, Assara terrebella (a few), Metzneria metzneriella, Hedya ochroleucana, Archips oporana (at least 2), Thisanotia chrysonuchella, Acompsia cinerella, Eulamprotes wilkella (a few), Lobesia littoralis, Eucosma metzneriana (very few records of this for Suffolk, probably new to all of us present and my moth of the night). Tony was the lucky man on the night, with his trap catching most of the better moths, so well done to him for putting his trap in the best spot!
Can this good weather continue?
Neil
Hi Neil,
Quite a few moths there that I would like to see, but particularly envious of the Eucosma metzneriana. You mention that there are “very few” previous Suffolk records of this species. I assume they are relatively recent records that have not made it onto the website yet, can you tell me where/when they were made please?
Thanks, Paul
The ones I know about have all been in the brecks at Lakenheath fen (date unknown to me but recent) and Maidscross Hill, Lakenheath 12th June 2007 (Keith Tailby). So yes, all in the last few years.
Hope this answers your query.
Neil
Thanks again Neil. I have since found a photo of the Maidscross Hill one on the Hampshire Moths website. Odd it’s not even mentioned on the SMG website after 7 years.
Paul