National Moth Nights

For anyone interested, or who doesn't already know, tonight is the final trapping night for National Moth Nights (see www.mothnight.info/).  Last night Chris Bottrell and I were involved in a public owl, bat and moth event in Brill, Bucks but the unpleasant weather resulted in only 20 or so people attending and most had drifted away by the time it became sufficiently dark to think about turning on the lights.  Who can blame them for not wanting to stand out on top of an exposed southwest-facing hillside?!  One light behind a vertical sheet was run for about an hour then we decided to give up, even though there was a fair amount of moth activity in the wind and rain because it had stayed so warm.  33 species were recorded on the sheet in that time, including Epinotia signatana (which for a 'local' moth seems quite widespread in Bucks), Cydia splendana and Broad-barred White as well as the usual "crowd-pleasers" such as Peach Blossom, Swallow-tailed Moth and Elephant Hawk-moth.  It was just a pity that there was practically no-one else there to enjoy them!  Dave Wilton     

Epinotia signatana, Brill 4th July

Broad-barred White, Brill 4th July