'10 Macro species for January Challenge'

Click on chart to zoom in.

Hello Everyone,

Here are the results of the '10 Macro species challenge for January 2013'.

As you can see, the chart above shows that eight recorders took part in this years challenge (one more than last year). Only one recorder actually reached the target of ten species (myself), but two others fell tantalisingly short (Douglas and Sue) with nine species each. In fact it was the second year running that Douglas had reached nine species, but to be fair, this year he was concentrating on school exams, but I expect he's still a little peeved with falling just short. Individual recorders were recording from between one and twenty four days in the month.

Overall, an excellent 20 species and 677 moths were recorded; this compares 17 species and 293 moths in 2012. The list contained only one migrant species, the Silver Y, which was recorded by two people. By far the most numerous species was the Winter Moth, which was probably to be expected, surprisingly though, it was only caught by three recorders. Six recorders trapped the Pale Brindled Beauty, making it the species caught by the most recorders.

Compared to last year, this is how the top five species by number of moths recorded, stack up. As you can see, the Winter Moth tops the list for both years:-

          2013

Winter Moth                 229

Mottled Umber             157

Mottled Grey                147

Pale Brindled Beauty      61

Early Moth                    16

          2012

Winter Moth                131

Mottled Grey                 59

Mottled Umber              24

Chestnut                       20

Spring Usher                 13

Many thanks to all of those who took part in the 'challenge' which, as well as being fun to do, it also gives us extra data for those winter flying species which we wouldn't have were it not for extra trapping done in the 'challenge'. I look forward to doing this challenge again next year.

Peter.