We've reached the end of another month and the total for this year's garden moth list stands at 342. This figure is much better than last year when at the same time it had only reached 273. Since my last post, again to my surprise, I've recorded the 9th. species of Clearwing Moth in the garden this year: Raspberry Clearwing. Also Bordered White was new for the site and Jersey Tigers are becoming more common. Elsewhere the Bonaparte's Gull retuned to Oare Marshes for its 9th year.

Raspberry Clearwing

 

Bordered White

 

Jersey Tiger

 

Bonaparte's Gull

Since the last post I've been surprised to record another 5 species of Clearwing Moth in the garden. Lunar Hornet didn't photograph too well but the other 4 are below. 

Sallow Clearwing

 

Yellow-legged Clearwing

 

Six-belted Clearwing

 

Currant Clearwing

Halfway through the year and the Moth Trap number of species is 211 for the first 6 months. Colder nights recently have kept numbers down but at the same stage last year the figure was only 180. Elsewhere the Heath Fritillaries and Ringlets were showing well at North Bishopden Wood a few days ago, and yesterday I went over to Hothfield Common where the Keeled Skimers were on the wing with Four-spottted Chasers and a Broad-bodied Chaser. 

Heath Fritillary

 

Keeled Skimmer

 

Broad-bodied Chaser

Since recently returning from 2 weeks in Alberta, Canada, I've recorded 3 species of Clearwing Moths in the garden and also trapped a new Pyralid: Elegia similella. Pictures from my Canada trip will be on my Flickr site over the next few weeks:   https://www.flickr.com/photos/34579661@N04/

Red-belted Clearwing

 

Red-tipped Clearwing

 

Orange-tailed Clearwing

 

Elegia similella

Since my last post I've recorded 2 new micro species for the garden list: Pammene suspectana and the Spotted Shoot Moth Rhyacionia pinivorana. Pammene suspectana has only been recorded in Kent for the first time this year. I've also been shown my first Dormouse by the local Dormouse group, and a trip to Bonsai Bank produced good numbers of Duke of Burgundy Butterflies, Dingy Skippers and Green Hairstreaks.

Pammene suspectana

 

Spotted Shoot Moth

 

Duke of Burgundy

 

Hazel Dormouse

High presure and cold nights have generally continued to keep moth numbers down but there have been a few interesting species since my last post. With the help of a lure I my first Dewick's Plusia turned up in the trap on 26th April. This morning I recorded the 2nd Choclate-tip of the year-quite rare in my garden. Also 22nd April brought the first Toadflax Brocade of the year. Hobbies have arrived at Stodmarsh too.

Dewick's Plusia

 

Chocolate-tip

 

Toadflax Brocade

 

Hobby

Cold nights have generally kept moth numbers down but I have now reached 700 species on the garden list with addition of 2 micro species. Unfortunately the first one could only be narrowed down to being one of 2 species so has to be recorded as Caloptilia elongella/betulicola. The second one, Pammene giganteana turned up yesterday afternoon in the pheromone trap with a SKI lure. It's been a good spring for Garganey sightings at Oare/Stodmarsh/Dungeness and a Little Owl also showed well at Stodmarsh.

Caloptilia elongella/betulicola

 

Pammene giganteana

 

Garganey

 

Little Owl