Nothing like a bit of rain

Like Dave, trap results have improved over the last couple of nights, with unexpected results last night given it was raining throughout the night - 27 species! Angle Shades topped the counts with 27 individuals and when I got home from work I could see them flying around the trap in the rain quite happily - they always look so much bigger than when they're at rest in the trap. Nothing spectacular but double figures of Black Rustic, Large Yellow Underwing, Beaded Chestnut, and Green-brindled Crescent were of great contrast to the dribbles of such species recently. Caloptilia rufipennella was new to the garden. 'Migrants' included 2 Dark Swordgrass, a Silver Y and 3 Diamond-back moths. Presumably some of these are on their return journey as offspring of arrivals earlier in the year, and I do always seem to get these on nights with northerly winds like last night. They always seem to accompany good numbers of Angle Shades as well which I assume are migrating as well. Unfortunately I will not be able to take advantage of the promising weather this weekend as I am finally moving house and this will be the last week of garden moth records from VC23 for me as I cross the river. Marc Botham, Benson