Turnip for the books

The best garden result of the year so far, with not far short of 100 moths brought to the conservatory windows last night by the twin-30wt actinic light.  I had to keep going out to pot them up during the first few hours because our local Brown Long-eared Bat population was particularly active and they would keep coming right up to the windows.  Perhaps it is time to start running a normal trap once again! 

The moths included three species new for the year, Caloptilia rufipennella, Oak Nycteoline and an unexpected Turnip.  This is the first time I've had Turnip so early (prior to last night the earliest being 3rd May 2007) and is suggestive of a migrant rather than a home-grown example, but who really knows in these strange times?!

Oak Nycteoline, Westcott 15th March

Turnip Moth, Westcott 15th March

The full list was Caloptilia rufipennella (1), Agonopterix heracliana (3), Agonopterix ocellana (1), Emmelina monodactyla (2), March Moth (4), Oak Beauty (1), Turnip Moth (1), Small Quaker (8), Lead-coloured Drab (5), Common Quaker (36), Clouded Drab (20), Twin-spotted Quaker (4), Hebrew Character (6), Satellite (1) & Oak Nycteoline (2).

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks