Well we had to pay for the good mothing spell sooner or later. The current windy weather on westerlies has not been the best for moths or trapping. It looks like it will be another couple of weeks before August improves. I also had a generator failure when I tried an ambitious excursion on 16th July. Turned out the ignition system had worn out and took me a while to fix it so I was also without my generator on the group visit to Orford Ness. Quite a good trip as Neil has reported where I saw 3 moths new to me one of which was Depressaria sordidatella (not reported by Neil). An excellent catch for Suffolk and The Ness.
Much of the second half of the month has lacked great interest but the 17th was good for me at home. Elachista maculicerusella and Waved Black were new for my site. There was my only Nut-tree Tussock so far this year and a Ground Lackey wanderer off the coast. My third Merrifieldia baliodactylus for the year that was for sure not a recapture. Second brood Crombrugghia distans has been common and Green Carpet and Cinnabar have recently re-appeared. Mouse and Copper Underwing throughout the period. Recently added Agriphila selasella and Square-spotted Clay to the years list.
Migrants have not been dramatic being mainly what I refer to as routine species but also a number of Scarce Bordered Straw. Thankfully I have not been invaded by high numbers of Large Yellow Underwings this year but I have taken a moth for the first time that has surprised me that I feel has come in as an immigrant. The Garden Dart. In my post for the earlier part of July I mentioned an unidentified noctuid. This was the first Garden Dart. It was very dark and large. At the upper size limit for the species and turned up in the same trap as The Orache Moth. I have since caught further individuals. They have all been dark and always with catches that have included fresh known immigrant species.
Depressaria sordidatella was a good record from that night on Orfordness and I believe is the second site record after Mike Marsh took one last year that I confirmed for him. Was in better condition than the one we saw in 2017!
So perhaps they are on the increase. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for one at home.
Any possibility of getting public access to a Suffolk (two vice counties) species list?
I don’t have an up to date list Raymond, only Tony may have it. Something that needs to be looked at over the winter perhaps with field work still going on while the season lasts.