Suffolk Moths Blog

Put out one mv evening of 5th but seemed cold and was clear, 3 March Moth and 1 Chestnut in the trap at 10.30pm. Same moths only in the trap at 6.30am.
The 6th was a better night, cloudy and warmer with 2 March Moth, 2 Chestnut and a Pale Brindled Beauty. Both nights Agonopterix subpropinquella recorded at lit window at home up to three at a time. Dotted Border recorded on the 1st again at lit window. E. monodactyla recorded in office on night of 5th. 2 E. postvittana recorded in my living room late February. Nine species recorded here so far in 2013.
Brian kindly picked up my two new traps from Jon Clifton and delivered them this evening. Both Skinners with one being a 60w actinic, taking my trap number to four. Can’t wait for a good night to run them all!

Like everyone else I’ve been waiting patiently for the weather to warm up. The last few nights have been a bit better, but not good (this is a cold corner of the clay country). Trapped in the garden on 5th (2 March moth, 2 dotted border) and 6th (1 March moth and 1 hebrew character). Nothing to get too excited about, but better than nothing.

Gave it a go on 3 nights here before the Siberian weather comes in. All different weather conditions yet all with light winds. 6th turned up the biggest catch. Total species Agonopterix heracliana, Tortricodes alternella, March Moth, Early Moth, Pale Brindled Beauty, Oak Beauty, Satellite and Chestnut. March Moth topped the list but interestingly there were more large beetles (14) than moths (9) on 7th with the rain and fog (Great Diving Beetle, Typhaeus typhoeus and Geotrupes spp.)

Here at IGC, was hoping to trap on the night of the 5th as it had been such a warm day but with a clear sky on the light soil the temperature soon dropped away down to a chilly 2 degrees so didn’t bother. Did run 2 traps last night however up in the area of Oak woodland round the work-sheds and managed 12sp of moths. Pale brindled beauty and Spring usher seem to be almost over with me with only singles of each trapped. Commonest moths seen all with a count in the low twenties were March moth, Tortricodes alternella and Small brindled beauty. Also first year records of Oak beauty (4), Brindled pug and Double-striped pug. No Orthosias yet.
May trap again tonight if it stays cloudy, need to try and take advantage of these slightly warmer nights as it looks like the cold is coming back next week and even the forecast for the rest of the month doesn’t look very encouraging at all!

Neil

With the temperature going up to 10 deg. today, I had high hopes that it might hold up for a while this evening. I did not get set up till after dark in the nearby oak wood, but with the temperature holding up around 6/7 degrees, it was good to find reasonable numbers of moths after nearly three blank weeks of very cold nights.
In 2 hours of trapping, T. alternella proved to be the most abundant species and over 50 caught amounted to half the catch. Pale Brindled Beauty (15) March Moth (12) a few Chestnut and 4 new ones for the year – Satellite, Dotted Border, Oak Beauty and Small Brindled Beauty made up the rest of the catch. More cold nights to come next week according to the forecast.

Brian

Handful of moths for me at Hollesley before the cooler easterlies threaten.
Acleris ferrugana, Pale Brindled Beauty, Early Moth, Spring Usher, Dotted Border, Grey Shoulder-knot, Satellite and Chestnut from 2 nights trapping.
Long range forecast is not encouraging.

The brief mild spell over the last few days tempted me to try a trap in the garden last night, and I was pleased to find some moths in the morning. Results were:
Pale brindled beauty – 5
March moth – 2
Chestnut – 5
and new for the year:
Dotted border – 1
Acleris ferrugana – 1
Small brindled beauty – 1
Tortricodes alternella – 2
Phyllonorycter messaniella – 1 (earliest ever record)

First time I’ve trapped for just over 2 weeks. Also saw 3 Agonopterix heracliana and a Ypsolopha ustella at the kitchen window yesterday evening.

Neil

Put a trap on in the garden last night for a few hours as it was mild, before the rain arrived. A few moths braved the breezy conditions, with 4 Pale brindled beauty, 2 Chestnut and 2 March moth caught. Nice to see a few moths appearing again after nearly 3 weeks of seeing nothing.
Far too windy tonight to attempt trapping.

Neil