Where are the Moths?

It was mild last night and when I put out the moth trap is was still 17.9 degrees centigrade and the overnight minimum was 7.7 degrees so I hoped I might catch more moths than usual especially as so many species are appearing early due to the hot weather.

However, when I opened the trap this morning I found the grand total of two macros and two micros! One of the macros was a shuttle-shaped dart (see photo below), my first of the year and the other macro was one of the "nightmare to identify" pugs which promptly flew off as I tried to take a photo! It was well worn though and my chances of identifying it were probably zero anyway! Must admit I don't normally bother trying to id the micros (I find the macros enough of a challenge) unless they have particularly distinctive markings. This year, however, I will try and id the ones on the Garden Moth Scheme list but the two I caught last night didn't look like any on the list.

Shuttle-shaped Dart



Summary of Moths Trapped Friday 22nd April

8.30 p.m. until dawn. Minimum Temperature 7.7 degrees centigrade

15w Actinic Skinner Trap

1 x Shuttle-shaped Dart (NFY)

Total Number of species for 2011 = 12

It looks like another mild dry night so I've decided to run the trap again tonight in the hope there might be a few more moths about.


There might not be many moths around but there were quite a few butterflies in the garden again today - speckled wood, holly blue and the first Large White of the year bringing the list of butterflies seen in the garden this year to seven.

The blue tit nest in the nestbox now looks complete with feathers being added over the last few days and the female has been roosting overnight in the box. Looking back at the events of last year I think the first egg will be laid any day now.

Mrs. Blackbird has started to build a new nest but I have seen one young fledgling in the garden being fed by the male so it looks as though at least one of the first brood has survived so far.



Enjoy the rest of the Easter break!