Into June in the garden with a shock! Things still ticking along nicely here in my back garden here in Stevenage.

Lovely warm weather of late, but nights are still sometimes a little on the breezy and cool side particularly after the recent storms. 8 new for year species were recorded, best of all a pristine Small Elephant Hawk-moth, not a common species here, this being the 3rd in 6 years.

A little later on I was photographing the moths from the previous night when a wing caught my attention, it was not only any other moth wing, it was distinctive and I instantly recognised it as a Dewick's Plusia forewing, albeit missing the other 3 wings, body, head and antennae...drat. Mixed emotions ensued, bitter happiness kind of described my feeling at the time.

It of course is a garden first and a good record for the County of this migrant species and certainly the most northerely recorded in the county of Herts.

The trap continues to be run on most nights.

Garden species count for 2018 now upto 151.

Here are the new for year species.

Catch Report - 01/06/18 - Back Garden - Stevenage - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap

Macro Moths

Dewick's Plusia [NFG] Common Carpet Middle-barred Minor Small Elephant Hawk-moth Snout Treble Brown Spot Willow Beauty

Micro Moths

Ephestia sp