An Umber of Great moths

I have not trapped in the garden for some time, mainly due to the appalling clear weather we have had! I needed a mothing fix, so I went to Oaken Wood last night with Derek Coleman. Conditions were again poor, so I was quite surprised at the number of species we got by 23:30. The best from my point of view was the new species of Barred Umber, but we got a number of scarce species too, such as Great Oak Beauty, Four-dotted Footman, and Orange Moths.

21st May, Oaken Wood:

Green Carpet

Little Emerald

Common Swift

Orange Moth

Birch Mocha

Silver-ground Carpet

Purple Bar

Cream Wave

Treble-bar

Pale Tussock

Brown Silver-lines

Treble Lines

Common Marbled Carpet

Maiden's Blush

Four-dotted Footman

Pale Prominent

Scalloped Hazel

Barred Umber*

Green Silver-lines

Small White Wave

Great Oak Beauty

Marbled Brown

Light Emerald

Clouded Silver

Broken-barred Carpet

Blood Vein

Orange Footman

Treble Brown-spot

Buff Ermine

Oak Hook-tip

White Pinion-spotted

Flame Shoulder

Heart and Dart

Ingrailed Clay

Peacock

Common Pug

Alder Moth

Lobster Moth

Scorched Wing

Poplar Grey

White Ermine

Small Seraphim

Small Dotted Buff

Pale Oak Beauty

Foxglove Pug

Vine's Rustic

Total: 46

Cream Wave (none of us were sure, but thats the decision we came to)

Marbled Brown

Alder Moth

Orange Moth

Birch Mocha

Green Silver-lines

Great Oak Beauty

Barred Umber

Sorry for going off topic again, but I just have to share this shot I got of a Cream-spot Tiger in Brittany last week (There were lots of lepidopteran highlights there, but this was the only one I photographed):

31st May- Dwarfs Alders come before

Normally, I would do a post for the last two nights, but with cloudy skies, and no rain until dawn, I just knew tonight would produce a lot, and I was right. 49 moths of 27 species is the best catch this year, and it had plenty of stunners amongst them.

Not only did I get two more Light Brocade, but I also got the garden ticks of Small White Wave and May Highflyer, as well as a brand new species for me in the shape of two Alder Moths. There was a considerable size difference between the two, which is not particularly obvious in the photo (maybe male and female?). Also a Dwarf Pug which is only the second ever.

31st May (NFY = new for year, NFG = new for garden)

8 Heart and Dart (oh, the fun to come)
5 Treble Lines
4 Shuttle-shaped Dart
3 Common Pug
3 Red Twin-spot Carpet
2 Common Marbled Carpet
2 Light Brocade
2 Alder Moth NFG
2 Brown Silver-line
1 Oak Hoop-tip NFY
1 Small Phoenix
1 Clouded Drab
1 Common Carpet NFY
1 White-spotted Pug
1 Yellow-barred Brindle
1 Orange Footman
1 Small White Wave NFG
1 Poplar Hawk-moth
1 Brimstone
1 Bird's Wing NFY
1 Shears
1 Oak-tree Pug
1 Coxcomb Prominent NFY
1 Scalloped Hazel
1 Heart and Club NFY
1 May Highflyer NFG
1 Dwarf Pug NFY


Small White Wave
Oak Hook-tip

May Highflyer

Dwarf Pug

Coxcomb Prominent

Bird's Wing

Alder Moths