Latest from the garden moth trap in March

Well, the storms seems to have finally eased. We have had three solid weeks of either high winds or heavy rain, and in most instances, both at the same time!

Therefore trapping has been sporadic and unsuccesful on certain attempts on warm nights.

From the 23rd of February until the 10th of March, I attempted 3 times, 2 were blanks and the other I managed just two Common Quakers.

The 10th of March faired much better with a day-time mean temperature of 14c and a low of 8c at night, it seemed a good idea to fire up the trap once more. A modest catch of 17 moths of 7 species was still very pleasing for here. The biggest surprise was my earliest Epermenia chaerophyllella, by 28 days, a regular here in my garden with both broods usually turning up.

Last night I ran it again and was pleasantly surprised to record 4 new for year species, Twin-spotted Quaker the best, a rare moth here.

Garden species count for 2020 now upto 22.

Catch Report - Back Garden - Stevenage - North Herts

10/03/20 - 125w MV Robinson Trap

Macro Moths

Common Quaker 4 Small Quaker 1 Hebrew Character 7 March Moth 2 Oak Beauty 1

Micro Moths

Epermenia chaerophyllella 1 [NFY] Emmelina monodactyla 1

Catch Report - Back Garden - Stevenage - North Herts

14/03/20 - 125w MV Robinson Trap

Macro Moths

Clouded Drab 3 [NFY] Twin-spotted Quaker 1 [NFY] Common Quaker 6 Hebrew Character 10 March Moth 3 Oak Beauty 3 Small Quaker 3

Micro Moths

Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 1 [NFY]