Moths and Books

I haven't been moth trapping as much as usual this year mainly because the catches have been so low that at times it doesn't seem worth bothering! Here are a few photos of some of the moths I trapped last weekend (numbers caught are finally rising!)


Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)

Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis) and a worn Straw Underwing (Thalpophila matura)

Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa)

Flounced Rustic (Luperina testacea)

Copper Underwing agg (Amphipyra pyramidea)

Orange Swift (Triodia sylvina) trying to escape

Finally, I managed a photo

Yellow Shell (Camptogramma bilineata)

Shuttle-shaped Dart (Agrotis puta)

Recent Reading

I am enjoying the Ann Cleeves Shetland books that much that I read two consecutively

Blue Lightning had a surprising and shocking ending (I won't say any more in case anyone else is reading these books)

I really enjoyed this book by Debbie Blake and learned such a lot. The book contains a collection of 15 short biographies of truly inspiring Irish women (from the late 19th and early 20th century) who were pioneers in their own fields including, nursing, aviation, education, social reform, architecture, performing arts). Its an exceedingly interesting and well-researched book. Highly recommended :)

Longbourn focuses on the lives of the servants who worked for the Bennett family of Pride and Prejudice fame. I enjoyed this book but (perhaps it was just me) found it a little over long.

Regular Readers of my blog may remember how fascinated I am by the concept of the Green Man and always look for carvings etc., when I visit churches. I was recently fortunate enough to be able to buy this lovely Green Man misericord made by a very talented wood carver from Yorkshire. It has already become one of my most treasured possessions. I also have a beautiful oak leaf and acorn carving by the same carver which I'll post a photo of when I finally find the right place for it.

In the short term I am going to buy a couple of beeswax candles (not to be lit!!!!) to place on the top of the misericord but eventually, when I find the right item, I would like to put something with a medieval theme on there.





Am I the only person to get attached to cars? Monday was a sad day when I had to say goodbye to my beloved Corsa which I've had for nearly eight years.

We finally decided that now we are both at home it is a bit of a luxury to have two cars so we part exchanged my Corsa and B's Astra for a new Astra to be shared. To be honest I would have much preferred another Corsa but with D and E still coming on holiday and on day's out with us we needed a bigger car. In many ways I would have liked to have kept my Corsa for a bit longer but it had reached the age when every MOT produced a feeling of dread usually followed by great expense :(

ps sorry for the feeble attempt to obscure the number plate (using very basic Olympus editing software) - not quite sure why I bothered now I no longer have the car!



Last Sunday we went to a Moth and Butterfly Afternoon at the wonderful Wild Hollowfields farm in Worcestershire (a Higher Level Stewardship farm where so much is done to encourage wildlife) but I'll save that for my next post.