Hopefully this project will run in to September when moths in my garden practically disappear for the winter.
I certainly picked a good year to start a garden moth list!
The hoped for target is 100 species this year, which would be exciting and satisfying in equal measure as it would almost certainly include something extraordinary for my unassuming little garden and also some night time shots of moths feeding, egg-laying etc.
29 Angle Shades, May 23rd, a slightly crippled moth seen by day. Probably can't fly
28 Scalloped Hazel, May 22nd, fluttering round my bedroom first thing. A first for the "garden". Don't know how it got in as my window was firmly shut for the night!
27 Holly Blue, May 21st, another brief stayer but still lovely to see
26 Brimstone, May 20th, a bright yellow male which stayed for about two nanoseconds :-(
25 Tachystola acroxantha, May 20th, also dead in water butt. It's the case that in the absence of nectar rich plants at the moment the only moths that linger in the garden at night are dead ones. All others just bomb straight through, I must be missing quite a lot without using a trap.
24 Blastobasis lacticolella, May 18th, dead in water butt
23 Argyresthia trifasciata, May 17th, on the Buddleia (not feeding!)
22 Freyer's Pug, May 17th, flying at dusk, 2nd for garden
21 Mint Moth, May 14th, day flying as you would expect
20 Light Brown Apple Moth, May 9th, a male, zzzzzzzz
19 Mompha subbistrigella, May 7th, one by day
18 Beautiful Plume, May 6th, flying just before dusk
17 Large White, May 6th, feeding on Broom
16 Brown House Moth - May 4th, dead, indoors, I can hardly bear the excitement..........
15 Esperia sulphurella - May 3rd, dead, face down in the water butt!
14 Dyseriocrania subpurpurella - May 2nd, by day, no oaks nearby so a good garden record for here
13 Orange-tip - Apr 27th, female feeding on Honesty
12 Twenty-plume Moth - Apr 25th, feeding on cultivated Thrift at night
11 White-shouldered House Moth - Apr 15th, at night, slow going without a trap!
10 Hebrew Character - Apr 11th, netted at dusk and new for garden
9 Bee Moth - Apr 11th, male, first netted moth of the year :-)
8 Comma - Apr 7th, basking in the sun
7 Small Tortoiseshell - Mar 27th
6 Large Yellow Underwing - Mar 24, larva
5 Peacock - Mar 24th
4 Phyllonorycter maestingella - Mar 16th, mine and pupa blown in from a neighbour's garden
3 Small White - Mar 3rd, larva
2 Psychoides filicivora - Jan 19th, mines and larva
1 Firethorn Leaf Miner - Jan 12th, mines and larvae
