January Moth Challenge 2019

Hello Moth-ers,

The January challenge has now finished, the data is all in and has been collated in the two charts below.

This year only nine mothers took part, which considering the mild January we had is a little disappointing, but between us we did manage to record 30 species, the highest figure ever for the challenge (19 macro and 11 micro) and 643 moths (607 macro and 36 micro), which is an excellent effort on everyone's part. Because of the mild weather, (apart from the last few days of the month when it turned quite a bit colder) moth numbers were well up on last year.
Only one person achieved the macro part of the challenge, with 10 plus species that was myself with 14 species. Sue Southam was very unlucky, just missing the target with 9 species, followed closely by Julie Pearce/Mark Thomas who recorded 8 species. I also managed to achieve the micro part of the challenge with 9 species (the most micro species ever recorded for the challenge).

The recorders who have shared this year's coveted ‘wooden MV bulb’ award (formally the ‘wooden spoon’ award), are; Deborah Griffiths, Clare Boyes and Paul Roughley, but well done for having a go.

	Recorder ’	BP	TS	DG	SOS	PR	CBo	JP & MTT	JeH	PRW	Count of species	Count of moths
	Species: Macro moths	Count	Count	Count	Count	Count	Count	Count	Count	Count
Log No.	Days Trapped/recorded	6	1	7	17	3	1	12	4	30
1769	Spruce Carpet	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	2
1775	Mottled Grey	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	177	2	180
1799	Winter Moth	-	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	104	2	108
1925	Small Brindled Beauty	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	1
1926	Pale Brindled Beauty	-	1	-	22	-	-	11	1	52	5	87
1932	Spring Usher	-	-	-	12	-	-	4	-	20	3	36
1934	Dotted Border	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	4	1	4
1935	Mottled Umber	3	-	-	3	-	-	5	-	82	4	93
1947	Engrailed	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	2
1960	Early Moth	1	-	-	6	-	-	3	-	6	4	16
2187	Common Quaker	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
2188	Clouded Drab	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	1	3
2190	Hebrew Character	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
2241	Red Sword-grass	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	1	3
2243	Early Grey	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	1
2256	Satellite	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	2
2258	Chestnut	3	-	-	26	-	-	1	1	30	5	61
2259	Dark Chestnut	-	-	-	2	-	-	1	-	2	3	5
2321	Dark Arches	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1
Macro species recorded		5	1	0	9	0	0	8	2	14	19
Macro moths recorded		12	1	0	77	0	0	27	2	488		607
Log No.	Species: Micro moths
461	Ypsolopha ustella	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3	1	3
464	Plutella xylostella	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	12	1	12
647	Hofmannophila pseudospretella	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1
688	Agonopterix heracliana	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
688	Agonopterix heracliana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	2
1025	Tortricodes  alternella	-	-	-	1	-	-	3	-	2	3	6
1045	Acleris notana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	6	1	6
1054	Acleris cristana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1
1057	Acleris hastiana	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1
1288	Alucita hexadactyla	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	1	2	2
1398	Nomophila noctuella	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
Micro species/moths recorded		1	0	0	3	0	0	1	0	9	11
Micro moths recorded		1	0	0	3	0	0	3	0	29		36
Total species macro + micro		6	1	0	12	0	0	9	2	23	30
Total count macro + micro		13	1	0	80	0	0	30	2	517		643

Now for a more in depth breakdown of what was recorded.

Macros - As can be seen in the chart above several people managed to record 4+ species. Across all recorders the most numerous species was the Mottled Grey (180 moths), pushing last year's species with top spot the Winter moth (108) into second place and the Mottled Umber (93) took the third spot.
The most moths recorded by individual recorders was 488 by myself, Sue 77 and Julie/Mark 27.

Of the 19 species recorded, those worthy of a special mention are, Dark Arches - which is the first January record for Montgomeryshire, which resulted from a partial very late second brood; Red Sword-grass - an overwintering species brought out by the mild weather. And an slightly early Small Brindled Beauty, which aren't usually on the wing until February.

Micros - Once again there were 11 micro species recorded, which matched last year's record number, so that was a particularly good effort on the part of the four recorders who recorded any micro species. The species recorded by the most recorders was Tortricodes alternella (3 people). Only one person achieved the target figure of five species, that was myself with 9 species. There weren't really any unexpected micro species recorded this year although the autumn/winter influx of Plutella xylostella was still quite apparent.

The chart below shows the top five macro species recorded (along with the total of moths) in the last eight years. 2019 was certainly one of the better years.

January moth challenge - Top five recorded macro species for the last eight years
Year	2012		2013		2014		2015		2016		2017		2018		2019
	Species	Total	Species	Total	Species	Total	Species	Total	Species	Total	Species	Total	Species	Total	Species	Total
1	Winter Moth	131	Winter Moth	229	Winter Moth	169	Winter Moth	64	Chestnut	64	Spring Usher	244	Winter Moth	47	Mottled Grey	180
2	Mottled Grey	59	Mottled Umber	157	Mottled Grey	69	Mottled Umber	19	Winter Moth	30	Mottled Umber	109	Mottled Umber	31	Winter Moth	108
3	Mottled Umber	24	Mottled Grey	147	Mottled Umber	54	Early Moth	14	Mottled Umber	29	Winter Moth	76	Mottled Grey	26	Mottled Umber	93
4	Chestnut	20	Pale Brindled Beauty	61	Early Moth	22	Spring Usher	13	Pale Brindled Beauty	28	Pale Brindled Beauty	45	Early Moth	22	Pale Brindled Beauty	87
5	Spring Usher	13	Early Moth	16	Herald	15	Chestnut	13	Mottled Grey	21	Mottled Grey	23	Chestnut	18	Chestnut	61
Tot		247		610		329		123		172		497		144		529

Key to the recorders who took part in this year's challenge are:-

BP       Ben Porter, Machynlleth

TS        Tammy Stretton, Welshpool

DG      Deborah Griffith, Welshpool

SOS     Sue Southam, Guilsfield

PR       Paul Roughly, Abermule

CBo     Clare Boyes, Middletown

JP&MTT    Julie Pearce & Mark Thomas, Aberbechan

JeH      Jeny Heard, Montgomery

PRW   Peter Williams, Commins Coch

Thanks once again to all those who took part.

Happy mothing to all in 2019.

Peter.