Keith & I had our traps out yesterday evening along the tracks near Ashby church which sits in solitude surrounded by fields, hedgerows and woodland. We were praying for a few nice fresh autumn species and possibly some nice migrants, but our prayers were not answered. All we had was one Centre-barred Sallow a Silver Y and a couple of Diamond-backs!
Our evening continued the theme that Neil highlighted on 29th August, mostly second generation species including Scorched Carpet, Flame, Barred Red and Crambus perlella – although the last 2 might have been a stragglers from the summer generation.
Just 54 species recorded (at least 30 being second brood) on an evening that had promised much, had the good cloud cover not cleared just before dusk, leaving us with a bright half-moon and falling temperatures along with its ensuing dampness. We felt that another evening at this promising site with its abundant mixture of plants, shrubs & trees, could produce much better results.
Best moth of the session was the micro – Cochylidia implictana, which was a new one for both of us.
Brian
I’ve not been getting many migrants this year either. Except for that spell that brought some down from the north. Much like you Brian, Keith and Neil, I report the same seasonal species plus second or third broods emerging. Took fresh C. culmella, Archips podana and Rhodophaea formosa last night. A very interesting scenario with Grapholita funebrana this year. It has been a pest on my plums, but this year whilst I took an occasional specimen earlier in the year I have no ‘maggots’ in the plums now and what is more I have been taking a lot of the adults recently. makes me wonder what is going on with them but hopefully I shall have clean plums next year too.
I had 2 traps running last night, no migrants at all. 46sp, about the average here at present. Only ‘migrant’ I’ve been seeing recently has been Plutella xylostella, Silver Y’s noticeable by their absence. No more autumnal species either after my single early Pink-barred sallow, not even had the Centre-barred sallow (but it is uncommon here). More second broods have appeared this week – Chinese character (2) and Archips podana. First Feathered gothic last night and a Red underwing found at rest in the daytime, that’s it really for sightings of slight interest for me.