Our Moth Nights for this year have just been announced. They will be held on Saturdays June 8th, July 6th, August 10th (all at 18:30), September 7th, and October 5th (both at 16:00). Come along and bring family and friends and see and learn about Moths up close. You can even stay the night and book into our accommodation.
Sunday 31st
Overcast most of the night but a fresh easterly breeze picked up taking the temperature down to 5.2°C. There were 17 moths, all the usual suspects. Eight Hebrew Characters, six Clouded Drabs, two March Moths and a Common Quaker. The latter was of the attractive reddish form.
Monday 25th
Although the night started cloudy it cleared (but no aurora to be seen) and the temperature dropped to 2.5°C. There were five moths - three Clouded Drabs and two Hebrew Characters. A Square-spot Rustic caterpillar was also found around the Observatory building.
Saturday 23rd
A V-Pug was found in Middle Field.
Friday 22nd
Still mild, with a minimum of 9°C. There were 16 moths-five Hebrew Characters, four Clouded Drabs, two each of Common Quaker and Small Quaker, a March Moth and new for the year Lead-coloured Drab and Powdered Quaker.
Thursday 21st
The catch is reducing as more unsettled, cooler, weather approaches but it was still mild today. There were only eleven moths namely five Hebrew Characters, two Common Quakers and singles of Early Grey, Early Thorn, March Moth and Red Chestnut.
Wednesday 20th
At last the first migrant of the year- a Dark Sword-grass. More of note, as they are not annual, was a Shoulder-stripe from an actinic trap in The Elms. Early Thorn was the first for the year.
Tuesday 19th
Today there were 23 moths - all the usual suspects. Seven Hebrew Characters, six Clouded Drabs, four Common Quakers, two each of Early Grey and March Moth, plus singles of Small Quaker and Red Chestnut.
Monday 18th
With water cover in the car park reduced to a third the trap returned to the car park on a fairly calm, clear night. Such is the warmth during the day that the night time minimum was 7.8°C again. There were 39 moths of eight species plus a Great Silver Diving Beetle. The moths were 11 Hebrew Characters, nine Clouded Drabs, seven Common Quakers, four each of March Moth and Red Chestnut, three Small Quakers and, new for the year, a Pale Pinion and Agonopterix alstroemeriana.
Friday 15th
The sky cleared and there was no rain allowing the temperature to fall to 7.8°C. The trap was put out the front by the feeders whilst the water still recedes in the carpark. There were 13 moths- six Hebrew Characters, four Clouded Drabs, two Common Quakers and, new for the year, a Herald.
Thursday 14th
Not much rain last night and with the temperature keeping in double figures we found a spot where the trap would not float away and caught 11 moths - eight Hebrew Characters, two Common Quakers and a Small Quaker. We are still to catch our first migrant but they are showing up all around us.
Wednesday 13th
Last night was dry so the carpark trap was set. 35 individuals of eight species were caught. Oak Beauty was new for the year.
Saturday 9th
An impressive variety of moths were caught in The Elms: Acleris cristana, three Diurnea fagellas, four Agonopterix heracliana aggs, Common Plume, six March Moths, Dotted Border, Pine Beauty, 19 Common Quakers, Twin-spotted Quaker, six Hebrew Characters, two Satellites, one Silver Y, and our earliest ever Scorched Carpet by over a month.
Tuesday 5th
Another little break in the weather allowed a sneaky trapping session overnight. There were five Hebrew Characters, four Common Quakers, two March Moths, and one Angle Shades in the trap in the morning.
Saturday 2nd
Thank you to everyone who attended the Kent Moth Group meeting at the Observatory today. After the event a few intrepid people searched the Estate for various feeding signs of micro moths, but mostly found themselves getting very wet. An adult Diurnea fagella was found on a fence post and a few holes of Cydia conicolana were found on pine cones in The Elms.