Walberswick moth night 30th July 2016 – damp conditions made for slow going.

Dry and reasonably warm when I left for this meeting on Saturday evening. About halfway to the site I could see a big dark cloud moving away, then the road became wet. Got even wetter with big puddles by the time I arrived at the site, and the temperature had dropped as well. Clear sky also. Those of us who have been trapping for many years know that this will mean a poor night for moths and this proved to be the case unfortunately.
8 lights deployed around the heathland and wetland habitats on the site, with only small numbers of moths coming in during the evening. So the damp and cool conditions plus the poor year we are having for moths generally meant we decided to pack up early. 84sp on my list, with most species only noted as odd ones and twos. The few highlights included: Brown-veined wainscot, Small scallop, Kent black arches, Dotted clay, Metendothenia atropunctana, Reed dagger, Crescent, Pempelia genistella, White satin, Bulrush wainscot, Lackey and Garden tiger. This site will probably prove to be better in warmer conditions with the variety of habitat so may be worth another try.
Felt distinctly autumnal as we we packing up with the mist around the site. Hope we still have a few more good nights before it truly sets in!

Neil

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