I ran my moth-trap (for those who don’t know, this is just an eggbox-filled tub with a MV lamp which attracts the moths overnight: I release them all later and don’t collect/kill specimens) for the first time in ages last night. Last year I was trapping virtually every night and took hundreds of photos, most of which went on to a now defunct blog. I’m transferring all the old posts over here bit by bit and they can be found at http://www.talking-naturally.co.uk/tag/moths/, but I do miss running the trap and the amazing insects it attracts. Why don’t I do it more often? Mainly because Great Chalfield is a fantastic place for moths (abundant and diverse plant cover the caterpillars depend on, no pesticides, clean air, little light pollution, a sheltered garden) and it used to take me more than two hours to go through the trap some mornings (a nice problem to have, I know).
Anyway, last night was cloudy and muggy and perfect for mothing – and the trap was bursting this morning. I’m afraid I didn’t have time to do a full count, but there were at least thirty species including the ones photographed below plus eg Scorched Carpet, Gold Triangle, Double Square-spot, Dark/Grey Dagger, Buff Ermine, Browntail, Scarce and Common Footman, Buff Arches, Buff-tip, Coronet, Kent Black Arches and Dark Arches. Nothing to make an experienced lepidopterist jump around (and there are many in this part of the country), but I’m still a relative novice and it was lovely to see some old friends again!
Wax Moth (a pyralid that lives in beehives where the larvae feed on the honeycomb)
Brimstone Moth
Dusky Sallow
The Herald
Poplar Grey
Rosy Footman
Ruby Tiger
The Gothic
