May moths 2018, Hollesley.

Not a lot to shout about. Abysmal weather environmentally for much of the first 5 months of this year which along with the now predominantly north east winds has not induced the moths to fly, makes coastal areas cooler and brings in sea fog. However towards the end of May a few warmer days seemed to concertina the seasonal succession of appearance into a few days. Additionally I have had an unexpected illness that reduced my versatility to trapping off site. That problem appears to have receded.

I took the opportunity to trap at The Patch on 31st June which was one of the better mothing nights. I picked up a Nascia cilialis there which was a first for me, though one then turned up the following day at Snape. Also in the catch was a pristine Clouded Drab which took me very much by surprise, having watch the seasonal demise of the Orthosias at home and only seeing worn gothicas for some time.

Hawk Moths have been doing well with me as too has the Cream-spot Tiger Moth and Tortrix viridana.  Pseudococcyx turionella  was new for my home site on 23rd.

I have captured moths at an additional site for me during the day. I have become a PoMS volunteer. PoMS is the Pollinator Monitoring Scheme run by CEH and partnered by Butterfly Conservation, www.ceh.ac.uk/pollinator-monitoring. There is a currently vacant 1 km location in south Norfolk’s Reedham Marshes TG4403. If anyone knows of a naturalist living in that area who may be interested in the project please draw their attention to the link. My 1 km square which I share with a naturalist living in Boyton is alongside the Butley Estuary and enables me to net moths etc during the visits that are 4 times a year. During May I picked up 12 species of moth. These were mostly common species and included the day flying Mother Shipton. Also of interest were a number of Cydia nigricana, presumed to be feeding on the vetch seeds as larvae and a first for me of the attractive day flying Grapholita compositellaMay 2018

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