Westcott, Bucks

There have been fluctuations in the numbers of species caught in the garden trap here at Westcott over recent nights but totals have remained lower than would be expected in early June and with very few micros to speak of.  5th June brought 14 species, 6th June just 7 species, 7th June 24 species and last night 18 species.  It is not all bad news, though, because a Burnet Companion which visited our miniscule patch of bird's-foot trefoil yesterday afternoon had the honour of becoming macro species number 399 on the all-time garden list even though it didn't stay around long enough to have its picture taken.  New for the year over recent nights have been Hedya pruniana, Dipleurina (now Eudonia) lacustrata, Opsibotys (now Anania) fuscalis and Grey Pug all on the 7th and a migrant Nomophila noctuella on the 8th.

Nomophila noctuella, Westcott 8th June

This morning, following a very pleasant hour visiting the Honourable Member for Thrupp, I called at Gavray Drive Meadows in Bicester, Oxon which is a local wildlife site that has been under threat of development for many years now.  I was looking specifically for Forester Moth and, sure enough, three were found even though it was dismal, overcast and breezy.  I have difficulty spotting green moths in green fields at the best of times, but if anything poor weather makes them a little easier to track down because they simply sit around on any vaguely pink-coloured flowers (today's were on ragged robin and thistle, but clover is another favourite).

Forester, Gavray Drive Meadows 9th June

  Dave Wilton