Westcott, Bucks

Considering that the temperature was hovering around 4C under clear skies when I secured the trap at 6am this morning, last night's catch by the garden actinic was quite impressive with 93 moths of 28 species even though there was little of particular note:  Agonopterix alstromeriana (1), Blastobasis lacticolella (1), Clepsis consimilana (1), Epiphyas postvittana (1), Eudonia angustea (2), Pleuroptya ruralis (1), Emmelina monodactyla (1), Red-green Carpet (7), Common Marbled Carpet (2), November Moth sp (15), Feathered Thorn (3), Figure of Eight (1), Dark Sword-grass (2), Large Yellow Underwing (2), Square-spot Rustic (1), Black Rustic (8), Green-brindled Crescent (9), Merveille du Jour (5), Satellite (1), Dark Chestnut (1), Brick (7), Red-line Quaker (1), Yellow-line Quaker (3), Beaded Chestnut (10), Lunar Underwing (2), Barred Sallow (1), Sallow (3) & Angle Shades (1).  I imagine most must have arrived during the early part of the night when there was some cloud cover.

Pleuroptya ruralis, Westcott 21st October

This is the second October example of Mother of Pearl Pleuroptya ruralis I've trapped in 2018 (the other being in the garden on the 15th) and is the latest I've ever seen it.  In fact a check of my own records showed only two other October sightings (on the 9th in 2006 and 15th in 2014).  Black Rustic is still going strong and the season's garden count is currently only three short of 400, significantly better even than last year's record total of 305.  As for Merveille du Jour, 2017's count of 12 was the first time it had ever reached double figures here and this year I've had 40 so far - quite an achievement when there's only one quite juvenile oak tree anywhere near the garden!

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks