Garden Moths 2009

[GuyF]

I thought it may be a good time to get another one of these threads going for 2009, the idea is for people to post up any of their garden moth sightings over the year.

I've tried putting the trap out once so far this year on the 16th February, catching one male Oak Beauty but nothing else!

However, last night I accidently left a light on outside and this ended up bringing in a number of moths, including 3 species that were new for me!
In total there were:
8 Dotted Borders (new)
1 Early Moth (new)
1 Satellite (new)
1 Red Chestnut
and 1 Hebrew Character

I'm not sure when I will next be putting the trap out, but it was encouraging to see a nice variety of moths this morning, hopefully a sign that the moth trapping season is starting to pick up!

Here are some photos, the moths at this time of year aren't the most colorful, but they're still very nicely patterned:
Firstly the Oak Beauty from earlier in the month

2 Dotted Borders, showing the variation in markings


An Early Moth

A Red Chestnut

And a Hebrew Character


I look forward to hearing about other peoples sightings
Guy

[goosey]

A nice start to the moth year Guy, and much more productive than me.
My one and only sighting sofar this year is a Male Agriopis leucophaearia - Spring Usher 26-02-2009. But I live in hope of a bumper moth year .

[Jason Green]

I've seen...

• 1x White-shouldered House Moth
• 2x UnID'd micro moths
• 2x UnID'd Geometrids briefly, just changing hibernation areas, too quick
• 1x Plume moth

...so far

Early days...

[roundwood123]

Hi Guy, I have just been looking through your pics and noticed your Red Chestnut is actually a Dark Chestnut. Steve

[GuyF]

Thanks very much for the correction Steve, that's another new species then
Interesting to hear your sightings Goosey and Jason, I'm going to try and identify more of my micros this year, although I haven't seen any yet.
Guy

[earthdragon64]

I was going to put my moth trap out tomorrow night, but we're forecast for up to 10 inches of snow tomorrow, so I don't think that will be happening. I haven't seen any moths this year so far.

[PMG]

First trap of the season on Saturday night - produced the following:

5 Oak Beauties
5 Yellow Horned
2 Early Grey
2 Water Carpet
1 Twin-spot Quaker
18 Com Quakers
2 Small Quakers
1 Engrailed sp

Which is 8 sps for 37 moths

And put a huge smile on my face .......... between the moths, the adder and resigning at work has seen my depression lifting to almost gone

Pauline

[rowanalder]

I have had so far

1 Chestnut
2 March Moths
1 Oak Beauty
2 Hebrew Characters
Some micros and flies.

[GuyF]

Originally Posted by PMG

First trap of the season on Saturday night - produced the following:

5 Oak Beauties
5 Yellow Horned
2 Early Grey
2 Water Carpet
1 Twin-spot Quaker
18 Com Quakers
2 Small Quakers
1 Engrailed sp

Which is 8 sps for 37 moths

And put a huge smile on my face .......... between the moths, the adder and resigning at work has seen my depression lifting to almost gone

Pauline

I'm glad to hear you're feeling better Pauline, that's a great haul, the Yellow Horned is one I'd really like to see, and I've never seen a Water Carpet or Engrailed either!

I'm very pleased with last nights trapping, no new species but 71 moths of 9 species, this has been the best spring trapping I've ever had, so hopefully the summer will be a good one too.
Here's the list:

March Moth - 2
Early Thorn - 1
Early Moth - 1
Small Quaker - 26
Common Quaker - 10
Clouded Drab - 7
Twin-spotted Quaker - 1
Hebrew Character - 12
Early Grey - 11

Here are some moth shots:
First, a very colourful Early Thorn

A Twin-spotted Quaker

An Early Grey

And a Small Quaker


Guy

[Yaffle]

Saw my first big moth of the year this evening, an overwintered Herald moth came fluttering in to the living room about half an hour ago and took some persuading to go back out in to the cool night.