Another very mild night 14.0c resulted in 10 moths: 3 November Moths (agg.), Large Wainscot, 2 Shuttle-shaped Darts, Yellow-line Quaker, Dark Chestnut & 2 Light Brown Apple Moths. The Large Wainscot was much the smallest one I've seen-WL 18mm. Looking back to the start of the year, the 1st new macro species was Yellow Horned recorded on 23rd of February. This record was part of my best ever start to year which produced 10 species before the end of February-some years I get nothing before March.

Yellow Horned

A very mild night 12.5c only produced 3 moths: Yellow-line Quaker, Dark Chestnut, and Large Wainscot. Someone else mentioned that Large Wainscots were having a good year. This was my 10th record in 12 years. However, 5 of these have been this month.

Large Wainscot

Just 4 moths last night: Dark Chestnut, Large Wainscot, Turnip & Common Plume. It's been a good year for Dark Chestnut with 3 this autumn. I've only had 7 altogether with 4 records in 2006-the only other year I've recorded them. The Chestnut has been much more common with 26 in total, including 8 this year. 

Dark Chestnut

A mild calm night produced 6 moths this morning: 2 Yellow-line Quaker, Shuttle-shaped Dart, November Moth (agg.), Spruce Carpet & Red-green Carpet. This last species was my 6th garden record & new for the year for me. Also the 1st since April 2009. Year total now 284 (187 macros + 97micros).

Red-green Carpet

Spruce Carpet

Four moths in the trap this morning: 3 Yellow-line Quakers and The Brick. The latter was the 2nd this month and the 4th garden record. However, the first 2 were in 2000 & 2002. 

I've had help from someone in the Garden Moth Scheme (see link), who has identified the moth below as 1041 Acleris sparsana. I'm sure this is correct.

It was very wet last night with a thunderstorm as well. I was surprised to find a moth in the trap which I think is Oak Nycteoline. I had my first one of these earlier in the year but it was a much easier specimen to identify. The wing length of the one in the picture below was 11mm. It seems to have the characteristic long palps.

Any comments welcome.

Something very unusual last night in East Kent-it rained! Just 2 moths in the trap this morning: The Chestnut & Yellow-lined Quaker. Reflecting on the year, my best record was probably Metalampra italica on 28th July, which I believe was the 2nd Kent record (see picture). I had another on 21st August.

Slightly disappointed with nothing in the trap this morning-the night was mild but I guess too windy. However, it's been a good autumn with my first ever records of Orange Sallow (300th macro species for the garden list) & Pink-barred Sallow, both pictured below.

2370 Twin-spotted Wainscot (Archanara geminipuncta)

2370 Twin-spotted Wainscot (Archanara geminipuncta), a photo by Peter Maton on Flickr.

A milder night produced 4 moths in the trap this morning: Silver Y, Large Wainscot, Angle Shades & Green-brindled Crescent. As I've just started this blog, I thought I might mention some of the new species I've seen in the garden this year. I've been trapping here since March 2000 but have had 10 new macros this year. One of these was the Twin-spotted Wainscot.

1795/6/7 November Moth agg. (Epirrita sp.)

1795/6/7 November Moth agg. (Epirrita sp.), a photo by Peter Maton on Flickr.

After a blank yesterday I had 2 "November" Moths and a White-Shouldered House-moth this morning, following another cold night.

Peter Maton's photostream

Peter Maton's photostream on Flickr.

My wildlife photos can also be viewed on my Flickr Site where I have 1199 images.

Moths this year

I have been running my 6W actinic Heath trap for 12 seasons now. Despite the funny summer this has been my best year so far by far with moth 284 species in the garden (187 macros and 97 micros), compared with my previous best (last year) when I had 268 (180 macros and 88 micros), and the year’s not quite over yet. I’ve had 31 new species this year-10 macros and 21 micros. I was particularly pleased to finally record Peach Blossom, Oak Nycteoline and Oak Hook-tip for the first time in the summer, and Pink-barred Sallow & Orange Sallow which were new ones this Autumn. 

Peach Blossom