July 25-27

Feeling a bit left out with all these good records going on, but still; On the 25th my first home trapping for July and a decent 118 species including Oak Eggar which is widespread up here, several Poplar species with good numbers of Swallow Prom, Poplar Hawk and a couple of Olive. Best moth this night Wormwood which has become my home special every warm July,last year being particularly good with three I believe, this was my fifth.

Sat. 26th I went to the Western, Carr end, of Fritton Lake hoping for Dotted Footman. Brian went to Upton Fen, Norfolk and saw it there. For me it didn’t show, along with a host of other species as my total for the night was only 56, around 100 less than it could have been. A number of factors including a big drop in temperature as the breeze disappeared and there was no cloud cover until packing up at midnight. Gold-spot and gigantella seen. As were a number of Hornets,15, which occurred in three of the four traps with two of the traps switched off early in the night. Best Hornet catch went to the actinic with 8 and they are a serious problem with the twin actinic Skinner as they constantly swarm over the tubes making potting them next to impossible so this was first off, a nearby Mv had 6. The traps were not as far apart as normal as I focused on the visible patches of Reed in the Carr and I must have encircled the Hornets nest, worth keeping in mind for any further visit to the site.

Better at home again on Sunday night with my first Tree-lichen Beauty in a trap before I went to bed. Next best moth was Least Carpet with 2. 105 species recorded. Wasp numbers high for the time of year at home.

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