Most of the first part of May was dominated by cool conditions, so numbers of moths remained low. The latter part of the month was better, although I missed the last week due to a holiday. The 25th was the best night for me when I had around 100sp in 3 traps.
As always, despite some pretty poor nights there were moths of interest including new site records.
New species for the site were Chamomile shark (7th – planting Chamomile at home may have helped!), Agonopterix yeatiana (22nd, found dead in polytunnel at work) and Mompha langiella (22nd, only the 2nd time I have seen the species first one was from Essex). The langiella is also only the 2nd county record.
Other things of note starting with the macros. Great prominent, Puss moth (both seen in good numbers), Seraphim (3 on 25th), Brindled white-spot (7 on 25th) and Broad-bordered bee hawk (24th, feeding at Campion flowers in the garden). There were also lots of larvae of the early and late season species like Winter moth and Mottled umber about, no doubt helping to feed all the hungry bird chicks!
Micros of interest: Caloptilia hemidactylella (17th), Epinotia tetraquetrana (1st, only the 2nd site record), Pammene argyrana (good numbers), Adela croesella (25th), Cydia cosmophorana (3 on 25th), Tachystola acroxantha (25th, 3rd site record), Sitochroa verticalis (25th) and Tineola bisselliella (25th, in trap not in the house!).
A number of Suffolk recorders reported sightings of Coleophora amethystinella this month so it was no surprise that some turned up at IGC, with 2 on the 24th plus another on the 25th at a different location. Plenty of foodplant here so hopefully it is breeding.
Neil