Alner's Moths.

I didn't know what to call this post, so I went with what it was, Moths at Alner's Gorse.
So, we had 5 traps out, 4 MVs and an Actinic (the actinic and one MV was mine), plus I tried my sugaring out for the first time.
All in all, had over 1100 moths of 130 species, so was pretty good, but nothing too notable (not been many exciting immigrant moths anywhere, just the usuals (saying that, I had a Jersey Mocha the other night) such as Diamond (had over 60 in one night!), Dark Sword-grass, Palpita vitrealis (one)), but at Alner's got some species I've not seen before.

Let's start on the sugaring. I did two patches, one which I checked once near the tent, and one which I checked multiple times during the night. So the repeatedly checked trap produced 8 Copper Underwing (agg), which were new for year for me, and the one I checked once had a little more variation. So I approached the sugar-beer covered tree, and there were 3 Copper Underwings, a Dun-bar, 2 Common Rustic agg., and 2 Dark Arches. I was slightly disappointed, until I looked down slightly, there, chilling out on the sugar which had run down the tree, was an Old Lady, which was new for me! (actually I lie, I saw one once in 2011 while gardening, but I discount this record, as I have no idea of the date)

Old Lady - New for me, a bit battered after spending a night in a pot.

Ok, the traps now, let's start with the actinic (which was the one we finished on on the day), it had 38 species in it, and had the majority of the Brussels Lace (6 - only one MV had one other), as well as Double Kidney, Coxcomb Prominent, and several Black Arches, but the highlight of the actinic was a lone Mocha, and was the only trap that had one.

Mocha - new for me, and a very nice moth to get.

The rest of the traps had some nice stuff, but nothing too notable, Blackneck, Small Wainscot, Small Dotted Buff, and Minor Shoulder-knot.  Also, when getting the traps in (I was very sleepy at this point in time), I did also manage to find a Mother Shipton larva, which I've not seen before.

Drinker - An impressive moth which I've only had in the garden once

Peach Blossom - one of two attracted to the same MV, another very nice moth which I've only seen once before.

Blackneck, a rather smart moth, only seen the larva before (same location, 3 months earlier)

 

And now.. I'm preparing.. for National Moth Night is beginning.. Good Luck All.