Finemere Wood

I had a reasonable result from two MV lights at Finemere last night, where it was quite warm and nicely sheltered from the wind.  941 moths of 20 species were seen in the allotted three hours.  If I'd hung around for another half hour I would easily have passed the 1,000 mark because Small Quakers were still coming in thick and fast as I packed up.  The full list is as follows, yet again a poor showing from the micros with just one exception (I had thought Diurnea fagella at least would have appeared there by now):  Tortricodes alternella (59), Yellow Horned (81), March Moth (33), Shoulder Stripe (6), Small Brindled Beauty (19), Pale Brindled Beauty (1), Oak Beauty (32), Spring Usher (1), Dotted Border (3), Engrailed (1), Red Chestnut (1), Small Quaker (482), Lead-coloured Drab (2), Clouded Drab (13), Common Quaker (153), Twin-spotted Quaker (10), Hebrew Character (2), Satellite (3), Chestnut (39) & Dotted Chestnut (1).  Neither of the Lead-coloured Drabs was at all well marked but it is the antennae in the picture below which clinches the ID.  Small Quaker is probably close to reaching its peak at Finemere but Common Quaker should still have a way to go yet.

Lead-coloured Drab, Finemere Wood 14th March

Dotted Chestnut, Finemere Wood 14th March

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks