Been out and about this weekend doing a bit of recording during the brief mild spell before the rain. Started on Friday night with 3 traps deployed at IGC (30w twin actinic in the garden plus 2 MV up at the worksheds) early evening before heading off to Milden Hall Farm again in the south-west of Suffolk with some of the rest of the moth group to try for Sloe carpet on a warmer night than last time we were there. Blackthorn now flowering well too compared to our last visit when it was in bud. 7 traps put out there along the hedgerows. Moths were slow coming in but we did get to 23sp before packing up at 11.30pm. No Sloe carpet (is it extinct as a breeding moth in Suffolk now?) but pick of the bunch of moths seen included: Waved umber, Scorched carpet, Pale prominent, White-spotted pug, Purple thorn, Water carpet, Plutella xylostella and Nut-tree tussock.
Next morning a check of the IGC traps showed there to be a good catch. Year firsts for the site included Esperia sulphurella, Elachista canapennella, Elachista rufocinerea, Epinotia immundana, Coleophora albicosta, Plutella xylostella, Phyllonorycter quercifoliella, Oak-tree pug, Muslin moth, Lesser swallow prominent and Ocnerostoma friesei. Good numbers of Nut-tree tussock (12), Eriocrania subpurpurella (175) and Lunar marbled brown (13). Others: Water carpet, Swallow prominent. Orthosia numbers now dropping off here.
In the sunny weather during the afternoon, went for a walk along the old railway line at the North warren reserve and managed to spot my first Adela cuprellas for the season flying over the first bush we passed (a female tree), this being a new site for the moth. Then went on to Minsmere where yet again didn’t find the species – I’ve tried here many times in the past and have failed to locate it.
Was hoping to put at least 2 traps out over the Saturday night as it was still warm, but, with heavy rain forecast to start around 8pm just put out the one MV (my most rain-proof trap). Rain did arrive here around 8.30pm, stopped for a short while but did start again so it was a pretty wet trap that greeted me this morning. Not much in it really with just 8sp recorded, with Pale prominent (first for year at this site) the only moth of note.
Not sure when I’ll be trapping again as forecast looking poor for a while – what a frustrating Spring this has been!
Neil
It’s interesting that you had 12 Nut-tree Tussock at IGC Neil. On all the sites I have recorded in our area of NE Suffolk & SE Norfolk I have never seen it. Last night we were in mature woodland brimming with Hazel and it was the moth I was hoping might turn up, but nothing. This one along with Great Prominent (even though we also have an abundance of oak) just don’t seem to be present in our area although common elsewhere.
Brian
Looks like the season is well under way now. Some good regular catches Neil. Nut-tree Tussock is scarce out my way you have a good site for it. I do get the Great Prominent and elsewhere in the Sandlings, but it doesn’t seem to be around Bawdsey way though. Yes Orthosias are on the way down bar the Powdered.
Nut-tree tussock wasn’t recorded at my site until 2008 when my first one turned up in the spring. Numbers have gradually built up and now it is quite common in both broods here. Going on my experience here and trapping at other sites in Suffolk over the years this is a moth that appears to be spreading, we used to only see it in numbers in the west. So one to watch out for, I’m sure it’s on the way. I’ve found larvae here on Birch, a much more common tree on this site than Hazel so it isn’t restricted to that species.
On Great prominent, not had any yet this year, a species I’d normally have had by now.
Powdered quaker on the other hand is the reverse of the other two species mentioned in this thread. Very scarce here and not recorded every season, despite suitable damp woodland on the site. None here this year so far.