Barton Hartshorn, Bucks

Last night I ran a couple of MV lights at Round Wood, a Woodland Trust site near Barton Hartshorn, Bucks which is one of my regular trapping locations for this year.  The results weren't too bad with more than 100 species recorded, split equally between macros and micros.  The most interesting moth was a Suspected, which I've only ever seen in the south of the county and on the greensand ridge to the north-east.  Round Wood, which is in north-west Bucks, contains a large amount of birch in areas where 1960s-era conifers have been removed.  The habitat is therefore correct although this would appear to be a new 10km square record for the species in VC 24.  The most abundant moths seen were Apotomis betuletana (50+), Endotricha flammealis (50+), Small Fan-footed Wave (23), July Highflyer (58), Clouded Border (29) & Minor Shoulder-knot (19).  Common Lutestring (6), Large Emerald (8), Scallop Shell (7) & Dingy Shell (11) were also nice to see, the Dingy Shell total being the highest I've ever recorded at one site.  The collection of micros was fairly run-of-the-mill apart from an example of the large tineid Morophaga choragella.

Last night's results from the garden trap at Westcott, Bucks were very similar to the previous few days, the only new sightings for the year being Limnaecia phragmitella, Clepsis spectrana & Plain Pug.

Dave Wilton

Suspected, Round Wood 9th July

Morophaga choragella, Round Wood 9th July