A NEW WEBSITE!

As of March 2015, an official website for Surrey Moths has been set-up here. There you'll find information on everything to do with the Surrey Branch of Butterfly Conservation, including the updated events calender for 2015. Hope to see you there!




Friday 18 March 2011

not so drab

I thought that this example of a clouded drab was actually quite handsome - although it has to be admitted that most of the clouded drabs I catch live down to their name. This was one of a reasonable catch on 16th March, although I had no new species for the year.

Wednesday 16 March 2011

The Twin-spot Spring

Last night seemed ideal once again with nice cloudy skies following a hot day, and I managed to get more than yesterday. Again nothing ground breaking, but it was nice to get two Twin-spotted Quaker. Otherwise I got the same 6 species as the previous night, but 41 individuals this time. I also got a nice plume, but as usual I don't have a clue at the species (now identified as Emmelina monodactyla, thanks Dean).
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15th March:
17 Common Quaker
10 Small Quaker
6 Hebrew Character
4 Clouded Drab
2 Twin-spotted Quaker
1 Early Grey
1 March Moth
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Common Quakers
Emmelina monodactyla
Early Grey
Twin-spotted Quakers

Tuesday 15 March 2011

The Moths March On

My first proper catch of the year last night in nice cloudy conditions. Although, amongst 30 moths of 6 species, there were no garden ticks. Still great to see lots of moths again!

14th March:
14 Small Quaker
6 Common Quaker
5 Hebrew Character
3 Clouded Drab
1 Early Grey
1 March Moth

Saturday 12 March 2011

Species steadily building up

New species are beginning to appear more frequently now. I had about 60 moths last night. A couple of oak beauties, small brindled beauty, umpteen small quakers, several common quakers and the following new for the year:

Yellow horned


Hebrew character


Early grey


clouded drab




Tuesday 8 March 2011

Odds and Ends

I haven't got round to trapping yet in March, and with the lawn due to be re-seeded, it looks like I will have to trap on the patio for the next month or so, which will probably lower the moth totals. At the moment though, I'm still catching up with a few moths from February...

I caught this micro in the garden on the 24th, and it was confirmed by the CR and John Langmaid as Agonopterix scopariella. It is a local species in Britain, and very scarce in Surrey, with this making the 11th modern record. The paler overall colour rules out heracliana, and subpropinquella and atomella do not show 2 white spots on each wing like this individual does...


This Chestnut was an added bonus when sorting out egg boxes, and must have got trapped in between them when I packed them away, resulting in a damaged hindwing. A belated garden first...


Another garden first, this Clouded Drab saved me from a night in with just the Hebrews and Quakers on the 25th! ...