13.. an unlucky number..

So here we are.. 2013.. Ok, yes, it's been 2013 for 6 months now (God! we're almost halfway through.. that's depressing!).

Anyhow.. for moths.. 2013's been shocking. Well, for all life it's been shocking, but noticeably for moths (on my part at least).

Anyhow, welcome to my new blog, I've tried blogs before, but they've just never started, and it all seems all very complicated. I will try to put a post up maybe every week, depending if anything exciting happens in that week.

So.. what's happened this year with the moths, not a great deal I'm afraid, with only 35 species in the garden. Of these 35 species, only one has been new for the garden, which was a nice Nut-tree Tussock this morning. (pic below)

But yeah, in the garden, even the common species are absent. No Clouded Drab, Small Quaker or Early Thorn in the garden so far this year, usually I get several spring specimens of these species.

Anyhow, mothing out & about (3 nights away) has proved more successful, causing a yearly total of 578 moths of 77 species, which considering the year, isn't too bad. The vast majority of these were from Alner's Gorse at the start of May, which produced almost 400 moths of 44 species, many were new to me.
Highlights from Alner's were Frosted Green (NFM), Streamer (NFM), Shoulder Stripe (NFM), Marbled Pug (NFM), Waved Umber, Purple Thorn, Brindled Beauty (NFM), Puss Moth, Great Prominent (NFM), Lunar Marbled Brown (NFM), Dark Sword-grass, Blossom Underwing (NFM), Pine Beauty, Grey Shoulder-knot, Tawny Pinion (NFM), Pale Pinion, Satellite, Acleris literana (NFM), and Dysteriocrania subpurpurella (NFM).

Great Prominent

Marbled Pug

Purple Thorn

Lunar Marbled Brown

 

 

So that's about it for now I'd say,

Cheerio,
Jack