Mid April at IGC – Empress arrives in the traps.

With some warmer nights in the last week I’ve been running various combinations of light traps alternating between the garden and up on the golf course. The better temperatures have brought out some more year first moths with Lunar marbled brown, Swallow prominent, Spectacle, Caloptilia populetorum, Acleris cristana and Herald appearing – some of these of course are moths that have emerged from hibernation. Numbers of Frosted green and Eriocrania subpurpurella are increasing, with 28 of the former and 108 of the latter caught on the 15th. Orthosia numbers still ticking along at a low level although a better count of Common quaker seen on the 14th when 61 were obtained. Only 5 Small seen the same night continuing its poor run here. Other bits and bobs noted: Water carpet, Agonopterix scopariella, Oak beauty (seen on 13th, 14th (2) and 15th – all different individuals), Red chestnut, Early tooth-striped and Pine beauty.
Best moth however, as stated in the title of this post was a female Emperor trapped on the 15th up on the golf course. Even though this is a heathland site this is my first light-trapped record of this species in 20 years of recording here! Of course I have many records of the species either as larvae, males seen flying in the daytime plus the odd record of females found resting around security lights at the clubhouse. This species was one of 3 macros that I’ve not found in the traps on my site list, so I’m now down to 2. These being Triple-spotted pug (larval records only of caterpillars on Angelica flowerheads) and would you believe Mullein moth (larvae common here even on plants growing in my garden right next to where I run traps, also one record of an adult found at rest on a fence-post in the daytime).The weather forecasters are happily stating that we are in for some more warm sunny days into next week, but for us moth trappers this is not good with cold clear nights predicted. So it could be a short while before I have anything else of note to report!

Neil

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2 Responses to Mid April at IGC – Empress arrives in the traps.

  1. Brian says:

    Its really cold up here on the coast with the NE wind adding to the chill of clear skies at night. I did chance running the traps on Thursday evening in sheltered woodland and was surprised to get around 100 moths with the temperature showing only 6 deg. The only new for the year were Lunar Marbled Brown and Streamer. It was even colder last night as it is this evening.

    Brian

  2. Raymond Watson says:

    Cold and windy here on the coast too. Had ice on the car last night. Puts moth numbers down considerably.

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