Sunday 29th
It was a clear and very cold night but three traps were set - The car park MV, an actinic in Middle Field and a DIY UVLED not far from the actinic for trials. Interestingly the UVLED performed best, attracting four Hebrew Characters, two Clouded Drabs and a Common Quaker. The car park and actinic had six of two and three of two respectively, not bad considering it dropped to -1.2°C!
Friday 27th
A brief gap in wind and rain allowed an actinic to be placed in the Elms which attracted ten Hebrew Characters, five Clouded Drabs, two March Moths and a Powdered Quaker.
Tuesday 24th
A much more varied day and the hottest night for a while at 6.9°C which attracted 63 moths of 16 species around the Obs and Elms. Our 3rd record of Barred Tooth-striped was a day later than a similar record last year. Tawny Pinion and Oak-tree Pug where other additions for the year with a supporting cast of another Waved Umber, Double-striped Pug, Twin-spot Quaker, and Blossom Underwing.
The next few nights look unsuitable for trapping as high winds and rain set in.
Monday 23rd
The actinic was placed in Little Gully where the change in habitat brought a slight change in moths with our first Pine Beauty of the year amongst 26 moths of five other species. Around the Obs were 43 moths of five with another Red Chestnut of note.
Sunday 22nd
Another clear night so numbers dipped slightly to 30 moths of five in the Waldershare Gully trap. 38 moths of six species where around the Ringing Room and Car Park traps where another Twin-spot Quaker continued the good run the species has had this year.
Saturday 21st
An actinic in Waldershare Gully performed very well producing 46 moths of 6 species, Clouded Drabs leading the way at 20. Two MVs around the Obs held 37 moths of eight species between them where a Blossom Underwing and another Powdered Quaker were the standouts.
Friday 20th
Despite the warm daytime temperatures, the combination of clear skies and a light north-easterly is creating some very cold nights. Still, 59 moths of seven species were amongst two traps around the Obs where a Twin-spot Quaker and two Red Chestnuts were of note. The actinic was placed between Waldershare Gully and Restharrow Dunes with the hope of attracting any early grassland species, however the 15 moths caught consisted of Hebrew Character, Clouded Drab and March Moth.
Thursday 19th
Just the Ringing Room and Car Park traps were set, netting 91 moths of nine species. There were no moths new for the year but there were signs of change as Clouded Drab numbers overtook Common Quaker for the first time, securing it in second to Hebrew Character. Early Grey, Early Thorn, Small Quaker and singles of both Chestnut and Red Chestnut rounded out the trap.
Wednesday 18th
It was clear overnight allowing the temperature down to 3.1°C, but there was no frost due to a southerly breeze. Three traps were operated with the car park leading the way with a catch of 56 moths of eight species. The back of the ringing room had more species, ten, but less moths, 18. An actinic trap in The Elms delivered 25 moths of eight species.
Despite the arrival of the southerly there were no migrants. Powdered Quaker was new for the year.
Tuesday 17th
With the winds still a factor, only the Ringing Room trap was placed which brought 27 moths of five including our first Dotted Chestnut of the year.
Sunday 15th
Colder again and this time it did put the moths off. Only the Car Park and Elms traps were deployed where 32 moths of 4 species were caught.
Saturday 14th
A cold one, just above freezing at 0.3°C but the covered sky and low wind still gave us 90 moths of nine. Two Pale Pinions and another Oak Beauty were of note.
Thursday 12th
A short gap in the wind and rain allowed the Ringing Room, Car Park and Elms trap to be placed, catching 102 moths of ten species. Pale Pinion was new from The Elms while the Car Park provided another Early Thorn.
Tuesday 10th
Due to the persistent mist only The Elms trap was placed where 18 moths of seven were attracted. There were seven Hebrew Characters, four March Moths, two each of Dotted Border and Common Quaker, and singles of Small Quaker, Early Grey, and Shoulder-stripe. The rest of the week looks unsuitable for trapping as high winds and rain set in.
Monday 9th
A thick mist settled overnight resulting in a lower catch of 25 moths of five species. A trap in The Elms was less affected, attracting 35 moths of eight species where Beautiful Plume was new for year.
Sunday 8th
The first migrant of the year graced the traps but nobody would have predicted it being our 2nd record of WHITE-SPECK. Typically associated with late-autumn in the south-east, the first for the Obs was caught just last October. The rest of the traps held 65 moths of ten species where the only other moth of note was a Shoulder-stripe from The Elms.
Saturday 7th
It was warm at 8.2°C and 65 moths of seven species were amongst the Car Park and Ringing Room traps. There were no new moths for the year though there were upticks in Clouded Drab and Small Quaker, plus two Red Chestnuts.
Friday 6th
Saharan dust settled across the UK over the day and three traps were set out around the Obs and The Elms with aspirations of our first migrants passing through. Unfortunately, the catch was entirely resident in nature but a bumper one at that with 129 moths of 12 species. Early Thorn and Agonopterix yeatiana were our earliest records by eight days and one day respectively, plus a Mompha epilobiella.
Wednesday 4th
A cool northerly wind set it, dropping temperatures and so 27 moths of seven species were shared around the Ringing Room and Car Park MVs plus an actinic in the Whitehouse. A Small Quaker and Early Grey were the only standouts.
Tuesday 3rd
Hopes dropped when the Elms trap failed to attract anything, however the Car Park and Ringing Room traps gave us 34 moths of 12 species. A lovely dark Oak Beauty, a Double-striped Pug and a Caloptilia stigmatella were all new for the year, in addition to another Waved Umber.
Monday 2nd
Lower again with 26 moths of four species in the main trap down to high overnight winds. The next few nights look warm with low winds so there's some optimism for numbers to increase.
Sunday 1st
37 moths of five species was the haul from the Ringing Room, Car Park and an actinic in the Whitehouse. A Small Quaker from the Car Park and three Dotted Borders from the Whitehouse were the only variation from Hebrew Character / Common Quaker / Clouded Drab.