Moth Trapping Recommences

Its the start of March and time to begin the moth trapping sessions again so I've re-assembled the trap and given it a good dusting down.

I've joined the Garden Moth Scheme this year where you count the number of common moth species seen in the moth trap one night for each week from March to November. The data is recorded on an excel sheet and sent off to the Scheme in the hope that the data collected will try and find out the current status of common garden moth species countrywide.

I only bought the moth trap in August 2009 so last year was the first full year I had spent catching, identifying (and then releasing) the moths. I'm hoping to see more than the 86 species seen last year and add to the total of 98 species seen so far in the garden over the last 17 months.

Here is the 15w Actinic Skinner Moth Trap ready for action on the patio - photo is a bit blurred as I used a very slow shutter speed to take the picture without flash and there's a lot of camera shake!!!



Photo of the trap using flash




Having had a break from moth trapping for 3 months, I am full of enthusiasm and anticipation feeling like a child on Christmas Eve wondering what the trap will reveal in the morning. However, as the temperature forecast overnight is between 1 and 3 degrees centigrade (its -0.1 at the moment!) I have a feeling I will wake up to an empty Christmas stocking in the morning!!