Monday 30 March 2015

All Quiet on the Westcott Front

The actinic trap here at Westcott, Bucks has been run almost every night this month as temperatures have generally remained above freezing, at least until the early hours.  The nights of 22nd-24th March resulted in a heavy frost before dawn but I still caught a reasonable number of moths each time (for example 42 individuals of seven species on the 23rd).  However, species-wise I haven't really had a great deal to show for this effort and over the last ten days the only new ones added to the garden year list have been Red-green Carpet & Early Grey (both 20th), Oak Beauty (21st), Satellite & Dotted Chestnut (both 26th) and Lead-coloured Drab (29th).  Pale Pinion has appeared twice more since the singleton on 18th March. 

Oak Beauty, Westcott 21st March

Lead-coloured Drab, Westcott 29th March

Lead-coloured Drab was my 22nd garden macro species of 2015 and that's up to the average of what I can expect to see here before the end of March in any given year, so it hasn't really been any worse than normal so far.  In any case, those years in the recent past with below-average counts over the same period (15 in 2006, 9 in 2013) both went on to be bumper seasons here!
Dave Wilton

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