After the poor moth numbers at the very start of May, I was hoping things may have got going once I was back from my holiday in Estonia on the 14th. So the traps were put out on a number of occasions during the last week and I too found it tough going even on seemingly warm nights. Around 20sp the average and nothing really of note, best probably first Puss moth of the year on the 19th.
I see from the blog that I missed the best warm spell of the month (so far) while I was away. Typical!
However, this weekend there have been signs here that things are finally getting moving. Friday night was mild but a bit windy so traps were put out in the woods in the most sheltered areas I could find. Pleased to note around 40sp in the morning, my best catch of the year so far (but this is still poor really for this time in May). A number of year firsts including the first hawkmoths of the season with 2 Poplar noted, Least black arches, Flame shoulder, Rivulet, Buff tip, Pale tussock, Rustic shoulder-knot, Chocolate-tip and Broken barred carpet. More interest provided by the Glyphipterix fuscoviridella, a species normally more commonly seen in the daytime here and a small Gelechid that has me stumped at present, hope to get a photo shortly.
Last night the mild but rainy conditions brought in around 40sp again to my 2 traps at home, one trap being the 30w twin actinic which for the first time this year had more than a handful of moths in it! Year firsts included what I would class as late first dates for Pebble and Oak hook tips plus Brimstone. Also Marbled brown, Foxglove pug, Common pug, Cydia ulicetana (again late), Campion, Common swift (again, another late) and Marbled minor. More interesting were Pammene argyrana, Schrekensteinia festaliella and Phalonidia manniana.
I reckon going on emergence times of some of the species here my season is running about 3 weeks later than normal. Looking at the web this trend of poor catches seems to be prevalent all over certainly the south of the country. If we have a mild winter (like we just did) this normally results in a poor year for moths. Thing is, this has been happening a lot in recent years so moth populations aren’t getting the time to recover. This year is the 10th year after 2006, that ‘classic’ great moth year. Will we ever see that again? Hopefully if we get the warm summer that is being talked about in the press (can we really believe that?) this poor start will all be forgotten!
Neil
Just my luck! I missed out on last night (visiting family in Ipswich). I did notice driving home, in the car headlights lots of moths on the wing. Also heard several Nightingales singing on Purdis Heath. They seem to have deserted my part of the Waveney Valley, haven’t heard one here for years.
Yes last night was better here with 57 species (42 on Friday night) and tonight (Sunday) looks promising so I shall also set up off site. Colder spell for a few days then later next week holds promise too. Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Crambus lathionellus, Celypha lacunana and Mottled Rustic shows we are moving on.