Blossom Underwing

The conditions last night seemed reasonable so I thought I'd better have a search for Blossom Underwing locally or be at risk of not seeing it this year.  I went to a site where Marc Botham and I recorded 50 one early April night five years ago and it produced a grand total of two.  I suppose I should be thankful that the moth turned up at all!  It is an occasional visitor to the garden at Westcott but I think not one I'm likely to see here now this year.  Frosted Green and Lunar Marbled Brown were around in numbers but micros were few and far between, Ypsolopha mucronella and my first Semioscopis steinkellneriana of the year being the only things of interest.

Blossom Underwing, 18th April



Semioscopis steinkellneriana, 18th April

Last night's garden trap managed 18 moths of seven species, comprising Streamer, Small Quaker, Lead-coloured Drab, Powdered Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab & Hebrew Character, so still nothing of interest.  Sunday night had produced a relatively fresh Dotted Border, a species I'd thought was already over here.

Dotted Border, 17th April

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks