Second half of May 2017

Yes, that was Spring. We now move on to Summer. It has a lot to live up to.

I went out to Havergate Island on 24th so there was no trapping at home in Hollesley that night. I also visited the local Patch on 28th and at home on that day, but after losing my best catch of the year so far I had to take time out and didn’t trap at the end of the month. We are now into June with a waxing moon. I think most of us know this year has been good mothing and is very early. At the end of the month I had taken Marbled, Tawny Marbled, Middle-barred and Rufous Minors. It already feels like summer.

Havergate Island has a low diversity of moths (excepting the salt-marsh species) so those that occur tend to be numerous.  Cream-spot Tiger, Lime-speck Pug, Bright-line Brown-Eye and Yellow Belle were common on this trip. Cream-spot Tiger has been arriving regularly at home too. A male and female Fox moth turned up and I got a first Caryocolum vicinella for the island. I went hoping to record four species not yet caught by me. I managed an Aristotelia brizella by netting and Gynnidomorpha vectisana and Coleophora albicosta at light but no Netted Pug, despite all the Sea Campion. It must feed on some other Campion in my garden.

The Patch turned up a lot of May Highfliers, Coleophora laricella and Pinion-streaked Snouts plus a pristine Grapholita tenebrosana and a couple of Silver Barred. There were also a lot of Aristotelia brizella of which I was almost unbelieving but then had even more at home. This was the evening when the thunderstorms came up from the south and trapped the Agrotera nemoralis at The Patch. there was a Pearly Underwing at home along with Silver Y, Nomophila noctuella and Plutella xylostella. I am of the opinion that the A. brizella were mostly immigrants. Agrotera nemoralis has also been recorded as an immigrant elsewhere in the UK recently.

At home for those interesting in catching one, Cydia inquinatana is doing very well this year, so it should be spreading. I would be surprised if it were not breeding elsewhere in Suffolk. I have taken 6 so far during May. Last year it first appeared in June. I finally caught an Argyresthia conjugella at home. Not in a very good condition. Quite a lot of Pima boisduvaliella this year. Think they may be making use of my Lathyrus latifolius.

There could be a lot more to say but that is it for now. Wishing everyone good mothing for the rest of the year.

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