It's the 1st August and another hot month has passed. The Moth Trap year list is 329 but this, despite all the hot weather, is 33 fewer species than the same time last year. However, July's catch included 2 new Macros: Oak Processionary & Sub-Angled Wave, and 5 new Micros: The Bindweed Sleeper Bedellia somnulentella, Delplanqueia dilutella/inscriptella, Lobesia reliquana, Crocidosema plebejana and Coleophora deuratella. 

Oak Processionary 

 Sub-angled Wave

Bindweed Sleeper

Delplanqueia dilutella/inscriptella

Coleophora deuratella

 

By the end of June the year's moth list reached 234 which, despite the recent hot weather, is 54 fewer than at the same time last year. However 3 new micros for the garden list were recorded during the recent warm weather: Azalea leaf-miner Caloptilia azaleela, Dichomeris alacella, and The White-cloaked Tortrix Gypsonoma aceriana. I also spent 10 days in Canada during the month where Dickcissel was a new bird for me. More Canada pictures on my Flickr site.

 Dickcissel

                                                                   White-cloaked Tortrix

Dichomeris alacella

Azalea leaf-miner

Another month and the annual Moth List stands at 138 which is similar to last year's 141 at the same stage. Best record of the month was my first Portland Ribbon Wave, one I'd been expecting for some time. Other interesting insects seen include the Duke of Burgundy Butterflies at Bonsai Bank, Heath Fritillaries in Blean Woods and Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies at Sandwich Bay.

 Portland Ribbon Wave

                                                                   Duke Of Burgundy

Heath Fritillary

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

May has arrived. Moth trapping in the later part of April was difficult, mainly due to cold winds a lot of the time. Moth list at the end of the month was 49. Interesting records in April included my 2nd ever Bloxworth Snout, a Grey Pine Carpet, aand a female Emperor Moth at Oare Marshes KWT Reserve, where a Ring Ouzel was also seen. 

 

 Bloxworth Snout

  Grey Pine Carpet

 Emperor Moth

Ring Ouzel

During March the moth trap added 7 new species to to year list, bringing it to 27. Best was the micro Agonopterix propinquella, which was new for the garden list. The Engrailed and Oak Beauty are always good to see. Interesting birds seen in march included 2 Red Kites at Oare Marshes. 

 Agonopterix propinquella

 Engrailed

 Oak Beauty

Red Kite 

I seem to have missed a monthly update for January, in which month I spent 2 weeks in South Korea. Bird pictures form this trip can be found on my Flickr site. I did no moth trapping until February due to the mainly wet weather, and the trap didn't really produce much until the last week in the month when mild conditions produced a couple of my best ever catches for the month of Feb. So the year list stands at 19, which compares to 8 at the same time last year. It has been mostly the "usual suspects" for the time of year but Twin-spotted Quaker and Yellow Horned are not ones I get every year. Interesting birds seen in Kent this year include Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Bittern.

 Bittern

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 

Yellow Horned

Twin-spotted Quaker

Well it's nearly the end of another year. During November and December just 4 species of moth have been added to the garden year list for 2025: Scarce Umber, Winter Moth, December Moth and Grey Shoulder-knot. These records bring the year list to a record 434 which has been my best year since 411 in 2020. It has also been a good year for new garden records with first records for with 22 firsts for the garden. These have included Galium Carpet, Alder Moth, Small Marbled, Light Crimson Underwing, Ni Moth and Bloxworth Snout. Birds seen in the last 2 months include a male Scaup and Purple Sandpiper. 

 

                                                                 Grey Shoulder-knot

December Moth (F)

Scaup

Purple Sandpiper