Westcott, Bucks

Last night's collection to the garden actinic was actually quite good thanks to slightly warmer overnight conditions:  Epiphyas postvittana (1), Nomophila noctuella (2), Emmelina monodactyla (1), Red-green Carpet (5), Common Marbled Carpet (1), November Moth agg (18), Feathered Thorn (5), Dark Sword-grass (1), Setaceous Hebrew Character (2), Square-spot Rustic (1), Black Rustic (2), Blair's Shoulder-knot (4), Green-brindled Crescent (1), Merveille du Jour (1) & Beaded Chestnut (8).  Better, certainly, than the previous few nights but other species caught during the week did include Pale November Moth, Autumnal Moth, Figure of Eight, Brick, Red-line Quaker, Yellow-line Quaker, Lunar Underwing, Pink-barred Sallow & Angle Shades.

Sprawler has yet to be seen in the garden but there were two in the Rothamsted trap at Marsh Gibbon, Bucks last night so its arrival here must be imminent.  December Moth, Mottled Umber and Scarce Umber are then the only macro species which I can reasonably expect before the end of 2016.  Winter Moth was seen way back in January and I suppose that Northern Winter Moth might be a possibility although I don't see that one here every year.

A couple of away trapping sessions in local woodland this week produced very little.  The only moth of any great interest was caught in Bernwood Forest on 27th October, a fresh specimen of Orthopygia glaucinalis which seemed rather late:

Orthopygia glaucinalis, Bernwood 27th October

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks