Finally the sunny weather has promoted emergences and calm mild nights have let them fly. Best catch on 7th for the year of around 115 species with many early summer species. In anticipation of the moth nights I have yet to record the Lime or Pine but have the other common Hawk-moths. There is the possibility of immigrant species on southerly winds that could bring in more exotic species. Luckily the feature is not migrants this year as I could not contemplate counting the hordes of Plutella xylostella. This invasion is a problem for the brassica farming fraternity and likely to increase the use of insecticides across the country. I find it impossible to count them and just record 100+ for each catch.
Of possible interest in recent catches have been Cream Spot Tiger, Poplar Kitten, Buttoned Snout, Bird’s Wing and amongst the micros my first Argyresthia cupressella of the year, Notocelia trimaculana, Thiodia citrana, Scrobipalpa nitentella and Clepsis consimilana. I also found my first Elachista atricomella at my Snape site on 4th June. Photo attached of the pretty Mullein Wave of which I have had 3 so far. I think I have a good population in my garden. In the front garden trap that tends to collect the immigrants I have also had a number of Bombus hypnorum, most of them queens. This bumble bee came into the country as an immigrant approximately 15 years ago and has established itself as one of our commonest bumbles.
Happy mothing to all. The next few days look good.