Author Archives: tonyhopkins

The last few nights have been pretty good for the garden MV. Best night for numbers was 30th March, but most interesting was last night (31st) which produced a blossom underwing and a diamond-back. Looking back at my 2016 records … Continue reading →

Another first for the garden list last night: Mottled grey, which is a bit of a rarity up here on the clay. Other species in the trap included 6 clouded drab, 15 Hebrew character, 2 small quaker, 8 common quaker, … Continue reading →

Having cast envious eyes over Neil’s night’s catch on display at Saturday’s fab meeting, and having grumbled to Brian that I never get anything in the garden trap until May, I caught a rather dapper dotted chestnut last night: a … Continue reading →

Just back from a few weeks in Australia. As well as wombats and Koalas and a lot of birds I was keen to see some moths. So I inspected motel lights etc. Didn’t see any bat-sized mega-moths, but there were … Continue reading →

Thought I might have something special in the moth-trap until I looked closely at it. A centre-barred sallow (isn’t it?), but not as we know it… A bit worn and probably not worth a photograph, but it’s the first plain … Continue reading →

The last two nights have been the warmest of the summer: cloudy and with little wind. Moth numbers at my garden trap a little higher. I agree with Neil that there are a few ‘winners’ this year – light emerald … Continue reading →

Probably the worst summer I’ve known for garden moths (and I started garden mothing in 1962). Nothing very special to report; one or two waves of rusty-dot pearl and rush veneer. Last night there were a few more migrants in … Continue reading →

Just seen a hummingbird hawk in the garden this morning. The MV trap produced a nice August thorn and a rather jaded balsam carpet. This is the first time I’ve seen the latter species here. Late for the first brood … Continue reading →

I was away for most of May, but was home in Suffolk enough to know it was an unusually poor moth year (except for diamond-backs, which have enjoyed our broccoli). I was away again from mid June to mid July, … Continue reading →

Relatively mild and still night last night, with heavy rain at dawn. My garden moth trap doesn’t usually do very well for Geometrids but last night I had a few (streamer, engrailed, early thorn, brindled pug…) as well as the … Continue reading →