Two Contrasting Nights

Here at Westcott, Bucks it got very chilly very quickly under clear skies on the night of the 29th and as a result the garden trap put in a very poor showing for peak season (113 moths of 22 species).  However, they included a first-for-year Phlyctaenia coronata and a nice Large Twin-spot Carpet which is always a welcome visitor.  Last night it was still clear and quite chilly at dawn but we'd retained cloud cover for most of the night so the difference in catch was very noticeable (562 moths of 98 species).  New for the garden year list were Parachronistis albiceps, Brachmia blandella, Pandemis heparana and Buff Footman, although pride of place goes to a battered moth found in the debris at the bottom of the trap, still alive but only barely.  It was a male Dotted Fan-foot, a species that was seen in the garden for the very first time in July last year.  Dave Wilton

Large Twin-spot Carpet, Westcott 29th June

Dotted Fan-foot, Westcott 30th June