The second part of June has been quite frustrating at times for trapping here. Some nights the traps have caught reasonable numbers, while other nights have been dire with very little seen! Worst night was the 19th when 2 mv traps only caught 29sp. Best night was 23rd when 121sp were caught, but this doesn’t beat the 9th that I have already reported on when over 140sp were seen.
Here are what I would class as highlights from the period for me. Pempelia formosa, Blotched emerald (a high count of 14 on the 12th), Purple clay, Cream-spot tiger (12th, only my second site record), Dusky brocade (a few), Telecrisis tripuncta (17th), Red-necked footman (one found by day on the 18th), Nut-tree tussock (larva found on the 18th, proving breeding on the site now), Broad-bordered bee hawk (2 larvae found on the Honeysuckle growing in my garden), Festoon (2 on the 22nd), Shaded pug, Beautiful golden Y (1 on 22nd), Grass emerald, Clouded border (over 60 caught on 23rd when I ran traps in a wetland area on the site), Large emerald (first for year have now been trapped), Shaded fan-foot (the 10 caught on the 23rd were the first for the year), Dotted fan-foot (5 on the 23rd a good number for here), Trachycera marmorea (23rd), Southern wainscot (12 on the 23rd first for year), L-Album wainscot (2 on 23rd, first for year), Suspected, Slender brindle, Bordered beauty (2 on 23rd), Gelechia muscosella (23rd), Scarce silver lines, Least carpet (first for year 26th), Kent black arches (also 26th). Eyed hawk moth still the commonest species seen here this year so far, with a few more Pine hawks and Elephant hawks and a single Privet. Commonest species now Uncertain and Heart and club with Large yellow underwing increasing and Broad-bordered just starting.
Still a couple of nights of June left to maybe try trapping although cool conditions are forecast, a regular feature this June unfortunately.
Neil