I didn't run the garden trap at
Westcott last night in an effort to let someone else catch something exciting! Following on from the Kent Black Arches & Small Marbled (3rd) and
Assara terebrella & Silver-striped Hawk-moth (4th), I had only Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing & Dotted Rustic as new for the year on the 5th. The results from the 6th were proving to be quite a mediocre selection too, with nothing new for the year until I lifted the last egg-box out of the trap which prompted the moth below to start charging around inside the Robinson - a poor night suddenly became an exceptionally good night!
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| Silver Hook, Westcott 6th July |
I imagine that Silver Hook is not uncommon in the damper areas of Berkshire and Oxfordshire but here in Bucks we have only six previous records and this is the first sighting post-millennium. It was last recorded by Messers Albertini and Hall in July 1993 at Prestwood Picnic Site which, like my garden, is unlikely habitat for the moth and suggests dispersal or migration.
Dave Wilton
I suppose jealousy doesn't come into it any more, Dave, just wishful thinking everytime i switch on my garden trap! Must move to Westcott.
ReplyDeleteI'm the first to agree that location is important and almost always down to a very fortuitous choice made for reasons other than moths, but you don't do too badly at all for a town garden, Dave - I'd be very pleased to see Obscure Wainscot out here, for example! The nature of the terrain may be important here, particularly for migrants or moth dispersal. We've got that big hill behind us with the Rothschild's mansion on top of it - now that might be an even better spot, wonder if they're willing to sell?!
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