Migrants abound on the farm Taking advantage of mass migration at the end of August, I decided to run some traps on the farm again, the weather was mild but clear and the Wasps and Hornets were once again a problem!

The farm at Braughing tends to do very well for migrants and still is the top site in the County for inland migrant records. I am not sure why it is so prolific but it might have something to do with how high the land is above sea level and also how flat and exposed the high area is, almost like a landing strip when lights are run on the concrete roads that surround the farm. Last year I managed 10 Small Mottled Willow in one night in June see HERE, this year I managed 6! Vestal over 4 traps although 5 were in one trap, unbelievable and after catching 2 the week before I didn't ever think I could better that. Backed up by other migrants such as Plutella xylostella, Nomophila noctuella, Silver-Y and White-point, it was to be a fantastic night for the end of August. Also Aproaerema anthyllidella was a new moth for me, but no photo unfortunately as I lost the file :(

There was also my earliest record of Brown-spot Pinion recorded to one of the MV traps.

And I also got my first ever second generation Crambus lathoniellus, this year we have seen a lot of 2nd and even 3rd brood species around.

The commonest moth undoubtedly was Setaceous Hebrew Character with over 400 counted there were at least 450+ with also good numbers of Green Carpet (45+) and Snout (30+)

All in all a huge amount of species for the end of August, when typically mothing is fining down from the Summer as we slowly change seasons.

Catch Report - 31/08/16 - Farmland - Braughing Friars - 2x 125w MV Robinson Trap 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap 1x 80w Actinic Briefcase Trap & 1x 40w Actinic/26w BLB Trap

Macro Moths - 42 Species

Angle Shades 2 Brimstone Moth 18+ Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1 Brown-spot Pinion 1 Burnished Brass 1 Centre-barred Sallow 7 Common Carpet 1 Common Rustic 3 Common Wainscot 20 Common Wave 2 Copper Underwing 2 Double-striped Pug 1 Dusky Thorn 9 Feathered Gothic 3 Flame Shoulder 3 Flounced Rustic 4 Frosted Orange 1 Garden Carpet 1 Green Carpet 45+ Large Yellow Underwing 15 Latticed Heath 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 2 Lesser Yellow Underwing 2 Light Emerald 15 Lime-speck Pug 2 Maple Pug 1 Orange Swift 3 Setaceous Hebrew Character 450+ Silver-Y 1 Small Square-spot 3 Small Waved Umber 1 Snout 30+ Square-spot Rustic 20+ Straw Dot 2 Svensson's Copper Underwing 1 Swallow Prominent 1 Vapourer Moth 1 Vestal 6 Vine's Rustic 1 White-point 2 Willow Beauty 1 Yellow Shell 5

Micro Moths - 43 Species

Aproaerema anthyllidella 1 [NEW!] Acentria ephemerella 11 Acleris forsskaleana 1 Acleris variegana 5 Acrobasis advenella 1 Agapeta hamana 1 Agriphila geniculea 4 Agriphila tristella 3 Blastobasis adustella 10 Cameraria ohridella 5 Carcina quercana 1 Catoptria falsella 7 Celypha lacunana 5 Celypha rosaceana 2 Cochylimorpha straminea 1 Cochylis molliculana 2 Cochylis hybridella 5 Crambus lathoniellus 1 Ditula angustiorana 1 Ectoedemia decentella 1 Elophila nymphaeata 1 Emmelina monodactyla 1 Endrosis sarcitrella 2 Epinotia abbreviana 1 Epiphyas postvittana 1 Eudonia mercurella 2 Endrosis sarcitrella 2 Eudonia pallida 1 Euzophora pinguis 1 Evergestis forficalis 3 Nomophila noctuella 2= Oegoconia sp 1 Pleuroptya ruralis 12 Plutella xylostella 15+ Pandemis corylana 1 Prays fraxinella 2 Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 1 Scrobipalpa costella 1