Below is a late for me Yellow-tail that rather surprised me when I opened one of the 40w Skinner traps I run regularly at Linford Lakes Nature reserve. 8th October is the latest I have ever seen one.
The coupled Willow Beauties below were on the wall of the shed in the garden in Newport Pagnell by the Robinson trap and are only the third time in 30+years of moth trapping that I have found moths coupled in or around the moth trap. This has always puzzled me as the flying stage is all about reproduction. I have read that most of the moths that come to light are male so that may be the reason or may be they just hear me coming.
Well Done Gordon! Tonight looks like another suitable night if anyone else wants to try for it or any of the other interesting migrants which are around (...it has apparently been a good season for Oleander Hawk-moth although not quite on the same scale!). The temperature should stay in double figures even though there'll be a light northerly breeze (which can be ignored because the moths should already be here).
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