Westcott, Bucks

Little seems to be happening in the garden here at the moment.  Returning home from another absence in Devon, the night of the 31st produced just 25 species here with Feathered Gothic the only item new for the year, taking this year's garden count by the end of August to 544 confirmed adult species (292 macros) although a number of possible micro additions still await dissection.  Those totals appear to be roughly comparable to the same point last year where the final figures, including dissections, were 558 adult species (285 macros). 

Even though the temperature plummeted to about 6C last night I had a slightly better result from the actinic trap although there were no new species:  Acleris variegana (1), Celypha lacunana (2), Epinotia immundana (1), Cydia pomonella (1), Eudonia pallida (1), Agriphila tristella (1), Agriphila geniculea (1), Catoptria falsella (1), Acentria ephemerella (1), Emmelina monodactyla (1), Pale Eggar (1), Chinese Character (1), Common Marbled Carpet (4), Double-striped Pug (3), Lesser Treble-bar (1), Brimstone Moth (4), Common White Wave (1), Common Wave (1), Light Emerald (3), Turnip Moth (1), Heart and Dart (1), Flame Shoulder (1), Large Yellow Underwing (13), Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing (1), Small Square-spot (1), Setaceous Hebrew Character (3), Square-spot Rustic (8), Common Wainscot (4), Centre-barred Sallow (2), Flounced Rustic (1), Dark Arches (1), Rosy Rustic (1) & Snout (1).  Hopefully there'll be a bit of an improvement in numbers with slightly warmer conditions forecast for the next couple of nights, but it'll happen anyway within a week or two once the ivy blossom is fully out and autumn species such as Lunar Underwing and the Sallows get underway.

Another look at our Norway Maple yesterday produced two recently-vacated mines of Stigmella aceris, a species I noticed here for the first time last year when a mine was found on a fallen leaf beneath the tree.  It is good to know that it is still resident.

Stigmella aceris on Norway Maple, Westcott 1st September

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks