Puss Moths

I don't have much to add to blog, been getting small numbers of moths wherever I've trapped and turning up similar species to what have already been posted. Of note was my first Toadflax Brocade of the year which sadly was only evident in the form of wings as the birds have rumbled my garden trap early this year and now frequently venture inside it rather than just taking things from the outside. I also put out a trap overnight at work next to a line of poplars and got a very small but rewarding catch dominated, as one might expect, by poplar feeding species including 2 male Puss Moths, 2 Swallow Prominents, a Pale Prominent, a Poplar Hawkmoth and a Poplar Grey. Having lost all my Puss Moth stock to a virus last year I don't have any females to assemble this year and so it was very nice to see the males turn up. As usual they weren't in the trap and one was actually about 10m away on the wall.  Still have had absolutely no success with Emperor Moth lure nor with recently assembled virgin Emperor females of which I had 2 hatch from two years ago.
Marc Botham, Didcot/Crowmarsh Gifford

Puss Moth, Crowmarsh Gifford 12/05/16

Toadflax Brocade remains, Didcot 12/05/16