Salcey Forest

Peter Hall and I ran four MV lights in the VC 24 portion of Salcey Forest, Northants last night and even though it got quite chilly we managed to pick up more than 100 species in three hours.  It was interesting to see some Traveller's-Joy feeders there (Fern, Pretty Chalk Carpet & Haworth's Pug) because the food-plant seems to be absent from much of Aylesbury Vale - we normally associate these moths with the Chilterns.  Red-necked Footman was recorded so can now be said to have invaded all of Buckinghamshire from the extreme south to the extreme north.  Clouded Silver, Orange Footman and Ingrailed Clay (counts of 50+ for each) were around in good numbers, while other species included Gold Swift, Pammene aurana, Purple Clay, Green Arches (a beautiful moth when fresh) and Grey Arches, the last three of which were posed together in the photograph below:

Salcey Forest 1st June

One surprise was to find three ghostly white shapes roosting on grass stems near one of the trap sites.  The happy snap below was taken as a record shot using Peter's mobile phone and unfortunately the flash has washed out their markings, but you can at least make out what they are - three Wood Whites.

Wood Whites, Salcey Forest 1st June

Dave Wilton