Atropos finally arrives at Bawdsey!

I struggle with time nowadays to write these blogs and logging on to the site from various devices I find most difficult, so apologies for lack of updates this season.

I had to write this short post though as last night (19 October) I had the most exciting catch of my whole mothing career – spanning nearly twenty years! A fine Death’s-head Hawk-moth arrived at Bawdsey Hall! As many of you will know this moth has been my most wanted. As a young lad thumbing through moth books, I used to look in awe at this species and the Clifden Nonpareil, and wonder if I would ever see them.

Last night was rather blustery and a bit wet too. The moth was inside one of my more sheltered traps between two sheds. Amazingly, hardly any other moths were caught last night.

The recent saharan dust resulting from Ophelia has also brought other goodies this week including Spoladea recurvalis (third site record) on 18th and Small Marbled and Blair’s Mocha (first site record) on 17th.

I have been incredibly lucky to have also caught my other most-wanted – the Clifden Nonpareil on 29th September – this autumn!

With more southerlies next week there could be more good stuff to come?