A Kitten and a Mouse

Nice to see the sun back, and although I thought the most prolific mothing was behind me this year, this latest period of quality weather has done the business yet again in the garden.  Both species and individuals took another increase, the latter certainly being helped by the peak in Yellow Underwings being upon us.  On the down side, I did have the first problem with wasps this year, with a small contingent awaiting me around the light.  However, another garden tick was amongst the throng of moths in the trap, and just like a few days ago, it was a Footman.  My first garden Buff Footman was amongst a few other nice year ticks, including a Mouse Moth, and only my second garden record of Sallow Kitten.  Among the micros was the scarce Iceplant feeder, Yponomeuta sedella, and a Phyllonorycter rajella.

10th August:
Macros:
32 Large Yellow Underwing
22 LBBYU
13 Riband Wave
11 Common Rustic sp.
9 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
8 Dunbar
6 Willow Beauty
6 Dark Arches
5 Red Twin-spot Carpet
4 Small Fan-footed Wave
4 Small Phoenix
3 Rosy Footman
3 Peppered Moth
3 Rosy Minor
3 Shuttle-shaped Dart
3 Uncertain
2 Scalloped Hook-tip
2 Dingy Footman
2 Svennson's Copper Underwing
2 Common Carpet
2 True Lover's Knot
2 Flame Shoulder
2 Square-spot Rustic NFY
2 Fan-foot
2 Lesser Swallow Prominent
1 Grey Pine Carpet
1 Mouse Moth NFY
1 Brimstone
1 September Thorn
1 Sallow Kitten NFY
1 Buff Footman NFG
1 Clouded Border
1 Nut-tree Tussock
1 Small Rivulet
1 Garden Carpet
1 Iron Prominent
1 Common White Wave
1 Purple Thorn
1 Ruby Tiger NFY
1 Rustic
1 Maiden's Blush
1 Straw Dot
1 Herald
1 Copper Underwing NFY
1 Buff Ermine
1 Dagger sp.
1 Ear Moth
1 Narrow-winged Pug
1 Black Arches NFY
1 Minor Shoulder-knot NFY

Micros:
21 Cydia splendana
10 Eudonia mercurella
8 Phycita roborella
7 Bryotropha affinis
5 Endotrichia flammealis
4 Brown House-moth
4 Agriphila tristella
3 Agriphila straminella
3 Mother of Pearl
2 Dioryctria abietella
2 Crambus pascuella
2 Blastobasis adustella
2 Agriphila geniculea*
1 Catoptria pinella
1 Bud Moth
1 Udea lutealis*
1 Eudonia pyralella
1 Honeysuckle Moth
1 Diamond-back Moth
1 Zieraphera isertana
1 Acleris forsskaleana
1 Holly Tortrix
1 Dipleurina lacustrata
1 Agapeta zoegana
1 Tinea trinotella
1 Light Brown Apple Moth
1 Brown Plume
1 Red-barred Tortrix
1 Yponomeuta sedella*
1 Phyllonorycter rajella*

Sallow Kitten

Buff Footman

Square-spot Rustic

Mouse Moth

Copper Underwing

Yponomeuta sedella

Phyllonorycter rajella

The Suspects get off (Wain)scot free at Horsell

Even a late night visit from the rozzers wondering what we were up to, failed to put a downer on a marvelous evening at Horsell Common near Woking. I don't blame them for being suspicious about five shapes leaning over three lights in the woodland. Maybe they thought War of the Worlds was coming to life (the book was set there)!

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Anyway, to the moths. Even though it was clear and cold, there was a steady procession of species, that included five brand news ones to me, and final total of 57 macros. The best ones being Great Oak Beauty, Suspected, and Striped Wainscot.

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3rd July, Horsell Common:(Lifers = *)

Small Fan-footed Wave

Peppered Moth

Rosy Footman

Heart and Dart

Brown Silver-line

Engrailed

Buff Ermine

Double Square-spot

Treble Brown Spot

Bright-line Brown-eye

Small Fan-foot

Dark Arches

Marbled White Spot

September Thorn

Common Wave

Common White Wave

Riband Wave

Lobster Moth

Iron Prominent

Tawny-barred Angle

Sharp-angled Carpet

Mottled Beauty

Common Emerald

Miller

Beautiful Hook-tip

Pine Hawk-moth

Buff Footman*

Willow Beauty

Yellow-tail

Dunbar

Brown Rustic

Common Footman

Sandy Carpet

Light Emerald

Brown Scallop

Uncertain

Barred Red

Great Oak Beauty*

Peach Blossom

Large Emerald

Pebble Hook-tip

Knot Grass

True Lover's Knot

Blotched Emerald

Dwarf Cream Wave*

Striped Wainscot*

Scarce Footman

Four-dotted Footman

Scalloped Oak

Brimstone

Coxcomb Prominent

Green Pug

Buff-tip

Heart and Club

Buff Arches

Suspected*

Coronet

Minor Shoulder-knot

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Apologies for the poor shots.

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September Thorn

Buff Footman

Brown Scallop (honest!)

Large Emerald

Yellow-tail

Striped Wainscot

Suspected

Great Oak Beauty