Thursday 22 January 2015

January Challenge - update

The weather is promising to warm up (or so they tell us!) over the next few days - a good oppertunity to add a few more species for the January Challenge. As far as I know at this time, only one person has managed to reach the target of 10 macro species (Douglas), but there's still time to add to your January list. So come on everyone, light those traps up, you never know, that rare, winter flying Small Eggar may turn up!

Peter.

Tuesday 6 January 2015

January trapping

With a mild night forecast, I thought I'd get the ball rolling with my 2015 records by putting three traps out last night.Two MVs, either side of the house and an actinic trap tucked up by some oaks. One of the MVs was rather exposed and caught nothing, while the actinic and other MV - both well sheltered - performed equally: 7 species each.

Managed to record 11 species (meaning I've completed Peter's January challenge in one night!). Between the traps:

Winter Moth, Operophtera brumata - 9
Mottled Umber, Erannis defoliaria - 5
Chestnut, Conistra vaccinii - 3
Early Moth, Theria primaria - 2
Satellite, Eupsilia transversa - 1
Spring Usher, Agriopis leucophaearia - 1
Pale Brindled Beauty, Phigalia pilosaria - 1
Dotted Border, Agriopis marginaria - 1
Scarce Umber, Agriopis aurantiaria - 1
Dark Chestnut, Conistra ligula - 1

Tortricodes alternella - 1