I’ve had my traps out at home regularly recently encouraged by the mild weather and reports of migrants from Africa. Last night I took a Syncopacma polychromella of which a large number have been reported reaching the country along with other migrants. It looks like the winds are on the increase now though but I intend to keep trying as they are still providing the potential for some spectacular catches. Pity Matthew is spending time away in Australia at the moment as I am sure he would be having a field day here. In addition there have been a number of early emergers around. I have had a couple of Hebrew Characters, a Common Quaker and a Spring Usher. Also picked up some Acleris that are not clearly my usual A. ferrugana. Think they all could be that species but particularly a very dark shiny one needs dissecting to prove ID. Generally good species numbers for December. Other migrants have been Plutella xylostella, Crocidosema plebejana, Udea ferrugalis (lots), Silver Y and one Dark Sword-grass.
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Interesting to find that whilst two of the Acleris species were indeed A.ferrugana the dark shiny one was my second A. schalleriana. Unlike my first any marings were not easy to see owing to it being so dark. With at least three specimens now known to me (one caught by Neil) hopefully it may be here to stay in Suffolk even if blown here by the exceptional weather. Mine were both males.