Comments on: Belated summer moth news from Purdis heath.

By: Raymond Watson

Raymond Watson — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 16:19:18 +0000

Looks like your catch is likely to be the best of the year Brian. Was it in Suffolk?
One of my catches has just made the 200 species but I usually get several over the 200 per year.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 22 Jul 2018 22:51:53 +0000

My best night of the year so far was Tuesday 10th July on one of my Waveney Valley sites and on one of the very few nights we have had a good thick layer of cloud. I was joined by a couple of the Norfolk lads who particularly were hoping to see Shaded Fan-foot and it was a great help that they were with me to sort through a large catch of 221 species. This included site regulars such as Spinach, Balsam Carpet, Phoenix (15) Shaded fan-foot (5) and over 100 V-moth. Other good macros were Dotted Footman, Minor Shoulder-knot, Blackneck and White-mantled Wainscot (all new site records). The micro list was also impressive with Agonopterix angelicella, Monochroa cytistella, Monochroa palustrellus, Gelechia sororculella, Gynnidomorpha alismana (new site record), Apotomis lineana, Epinotia cruciana (25) Catoptria verellus (3) and Nyctegretis lineana (new site record) among some of the more interesting. Twelve new site records and 4 Rdb species in the catch was a successful nights recording and everyone went home having seen all they wanted too and much more. One of the lads who has been mothing a good number of years added 13 new species to his ‘life list’. But this one good evening with over 1100 moths counted in the catch has been the exception rather than the rule this summer. Most of the others have been average numbers without anything outstanding.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 22 Jul 2018 14:54:19 +0000

Yes I have noticed too that there have been big catches but it has tended to be mostly common species, not a great number scarce or rare moths, especially micros. May be to do with the drought conditions.
I do have a number of traps would certainly run more each night, but the biggest factor for me without doubt is time. With the working day starting at 6am for me I would have to be up extremely early to either sort or just close up my traps for checking later. I can just manage 2 at a push at present. I like to record my traps as thoroughly as I can rather than just noting the scarce and rares, as records of common things are just as important in my view. With the current heatwave it is possible I may be starting work at 5am to avoid the heat of the day so that will give me even less time!
Not heard of a Cob LED. I know a few people are trying out LED lights for moths, not sure on the success rate of these at present. Be worth posting how you get on once you try the light.

By: Raymond Watson

Raymond Watson — Sun, 22 Jul 2018 08:57:47 +0000

Yes this year seems to have been bad so far for the environment as a whole, birds, plants and insects. Big catches have been low in diversity and species counts haven’t reached the peak numbers of other years. There have been a few goodies amongst them though. Matthew does well because of the location and the high number of traps he uses. I am sure you would do as well if you had the traps and persistence. You have a good site. I have a good location too. I am building a new type of light that I hope may be the answer to a MV replacement. Have you come across COB LED? I might be disappointed but it is worth a go.