A Beautiful Range of moths

An impromptu trapping session on the edge of the Pirbright Ranges near West End last night gave me an early oppurtunity to run my new trap. In what was probably the best night of the year in terms of conditions, we ran four traps, and managed a string of quality moths, and great numbers too. The only thing missing was a lifer! Several species were my second ever sightings, but the best was probably several Ling Pugs. This is not a true lifer, as it is considered just a form of Wormwood Pug. We also got several Beautiful Yellow Underwings, which is my first proper sighting (I got a glimpse of one in a trap last year at Dawney's Hill, but it presumably escaped).

26th July, Pirbright Ranges:

Yellow Shell

Dunbar

Small Fan-footed Wave

Pine Hawk

Beautiful Yellow Underwing

Ling Pug

Flame Shoulder

Scarce Footman

True Lover's Knot

Single-dotted Wave

Narrow-winged Pug

Ruby Tiger

Least Yellow Underwing

Slender Brindle

Clouded Border

Rustic

Common Emerald

Common White Wave

Drinker

Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Common Carpet

Willow Beauty

Striped Wainscot

Sharp-angled Carpet

Scalloped Hook-tip

Uncertain

Plain Wave

Snout

Antler Moth

Black Arches

Smoky Wainscot

Riband Wave

Kent Black Arches

Light Emerald

Common Footman

Buff Footman

Cloaked Minor

Small Scallop

Large Yellow Underwing

Rosy Footman

Dark Arches

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Shuttle-shaped Dart

Common Rustic

July Highflyer

Peppered Moth

Mottled Beauty

Least Carpet

Lesser Cream Wave

Clay

Dotted Border Wave

Large Emerald

September Thorn

Maiden's Blush

Engrailed

Small Purple-barred

Iron Prominent

Double Kidney

Sharp-angled Peacock

Total: 59

My trap in action

Small Scallop

Small Purple-barred

Sharp-angled Peacock

Sharp-angled Carpet

Ling Pug

Least Carpet

Horse Chestnut (with Clouded Border)

Double Kidney

Beautiful Yellow Underwing (certainly lives up to its name!)

Antler Moth

Three Leopards stalk us at Smithwood

A half-night at a place called Smithwood Common near Cranleigh yesterday produced the now regulation three lifers for me. We placed one trap in grassland, and the other most importantly, next to a pond, which is the last site where Water Ermine had been seen in Surrey.
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No sign of those unsurprisingly, but we did manage 42 macro species up to o:oo in very good conditions. The three new ones were a Double Kidney, three stunning Leopard Moth, and a Lesser-spotted Pinion, which, thanks to recent discussion, I ID'd immediately.
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Smithwood Common, 24th July:
Large Yellow Underwing
Lime-speck Pug
Small Fan-footed Wave
Dunbar
Smoky Wainscot
Common Rustic
Lesser Cream Wave
Small Rufous
Brimstone
Leopard Moth*
July Highflyer
Lesser-spotted Pinion*
Yellow Shell
Double Kidney*
Yellow-tail
Dusky Sallow
Small Rivulet
Dingy Footman
Single-dotted Wave
Common Footman
Ruby Tiger
Snout
Black Arches
Flame Shoulder
Cloaked Minor
Double Square-spot
Small Phoenix
Oak Hook-tip
Uncertain
Buff Arches
a possible Yarrow Pug (it will be gen. deted.)
Willow Beauty
Scarce Footman
Dark Arches
Coxcomb Prominent
Pale Prominent
Riband Wave
Flame
Common Carpet
Currant Pug
Shaded Broad-bar
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
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Small Rufous

Double Kidney

Cloaked Minor f. latistriata

Lime-speck Pug

Lesser-spotted Pinion

Lesser Cream Wave

Leopard Moth