I was a bit doubtful when I looked out just before dawn and realised it was very misty. I’d put the garden trap out hoping for migrants in the SE breeze. I beat the moorhens to it this morning, and there were some migrants: 5 Vestal (all with a grey line across there forewing, and all but one in the grass, where the moorhens would have got them), 3 Silver Y, 3 White-point, 1 scarce bordered straw, 1 small mottled willow, 2 rush veneer and 2 rusty-dot pearl. Plus 30 other residents. Good, but I had hoped for something a bit better. Then I looked more closely at what I’d thought was a micro and realised it was a Eublemma of some sort. Turned out to be a small marbled (which should be re-named the VERY small marbled). A new species for the garden and for me. It’ll be interesting to hear what’s turned up on the coast.
Tony H.
Small marbled.
You did better than me Tony, well done. Singles of Vestal, Silver Y, Diamond back and Crocidosema plebejana here. Flushed another Vestal today as well. Small marbled has a habit of turning up inland, Paul has had it at Woolpit. Matthew has taken it recently too.
Hopefully there will be more migrants to come although it is due to get windy over the weekend.
Yes it has been interesting recently. Huge numbers of Vestals on the south coast. I had one last night (19th), 10 on 18th and 5 on 17th. Gem turning up too and a first for me last night by way of a Cosmopolitan. All the usuals have been around but low on the Bordered Straw this year compared to last year’s bumper crop. Delicate and Scarce Bordered Straw have been abundant. As yet I don’t have a Small Marbled for my site. I noticed that last nights catch caught a lot of rather battered looking native autumnal species. We have a spell of even windier weather coming up so I think they may be off the list in a week or so and move on to Mottled Umbers etc. Still time for more immigrants though.