Spent May in the USA – tried a moth trap but the nights in Maryland were too cold! For the past fortnight I’ve been in Salisbury, Wilts. Ran an actinic trap on several nights and caught a few nice things. Apart from heart and dart, the commonest species I caught there were heart and club, small elephant hawk and broad-barred white. None of these are on my garden list at home. However, on my first night back in Suffolk last night I caught all three species. Are they having a good year all over the country? If so, why?
Also had a hummingbird hawk on the valerian in the garden yesterday (it had to barge its way past dozens of small tortoiseshells, which seem to running riot this year).
Tony H
Heart and club has been very numerous with me here in Ipswich so far this summer, I’ve seen more than last year but it was a terrible season in June then. Small elephant and Broad-barred white in normal numbers here, not particularly abundant. Other species seen in larger than normal numbers with me have been Clouded border and Scorched wing. Hawkmoths, as already mentioned in earlier posts don’t seem to be doing as well with only Eyed and Small elephant around in usual numbers.
Neil
Have been finding Small Elephant Hawk-moth far more frequently this year up here, Tony, but only singles.
Heart and Club is common here by the coast annually. Good year for Heart and Dart and for Scorched Wing. Elephant Hawk is common all Hawk-moths doing OK here too. Broad-barred White is a regular. If you know your micros Pseudargyrotoza conwagana seems to have overtaken the country, being reported commonly everywhere and in high numbers on the south coast.
From the info I’ve seen, and comments here, it certainly seems to be a good year for small elephant hawk.
Re Pseudargyrotoza conwagana – I had one in the trap a couple of evenings ago. Didn’t recognise it and couldn’t find it in the book! Pathetic, I know.
Tony.