Westcott results

Additions to the 2016 garden list here over the past few days have included:

(30th July)      Acleris laterana.
(31st July)      nil.
(1st August)   Grapholita janthinana.
(2nd August)  Argyrotaenia ljungiana, Sitochroa palealis, Oak Hook-tip, Canary-shouldered Thorn, Rosy
                       Rustic.

Sitochroa palealis was a very nice record, not having been seen in the garden since 2009.  Unlike at the Hughenden Valley site (see earlier) where the moth's food-plant grows in abundance, wild carrot is not exactly frequent around here.

Up to and including 31st July my garden list for the year had reached 438 species.  Looking back over the results from earlier this decade, that compares with 504 by the same date  in 2015, 510 in 2014, 428 in 2013, 339 in 2012, 402 in 2011 and 418 in 2010.  So this year's is an 'OK' result, but nowhere near as good as the last two years and means that the end-of-year species total for 2016 won't break any records and is very unlikely to breech the 600 barrier.  We're certainly on the downward slope now because between 1st August and 31st December I can expect to add only between 100 and 150 species.  The average is closer to 100 and depends to a certain extent upon how much effort is put into looking for garden leaf-mines.  Roll on 2017...!!

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks