All Quiet on the Home Front

The last three sessions in the garden have produced unremarkable catches despite seemingly reasonable weather conditions.  Even though the 16th and 17th were both 100+ species nights there was little which was new, so perhaps we're heading towards the usual summer lull.  It is certainly noticeable that second brood moths are now starting to appear (for example, Lesser Swallow Prominent on the 16th, Small Phoenix on the 17th, Chocolate-tip on the 18th).  Heart & Dart and Dark Arches are thankfully winding down for the moment and the largest numbers being had now are the Uncertains and Rustics (combined totals of 90 on the 16th, 96 on the 17th, 62 on the 18th).  Dark Arches has already surpassed 3,500 individuals in the garden this year...

Year-list additions have been as follows:

(16th)  Lobesia abscisana, Leopard Moth, Yellow-legged Clearwing (by day)
(17th)  Phyllonorycter schreberella, Elachista maculicerusella, Limnaecia phragmitella, Small Scallop,
            Mouse Moth
(18th)  Ypsolopha scabrella, Magpie Moth

Elachista maculicerusella, Westcott 17th July

Ypsolopha scabrella, Westcott 18th July

Magpie Moth, Westcott 18th July

Always a pleasure to see, another Lappet turned up last night (the fourth for the garden in 2019) and, having trapped four elsewhere at two different sites, this would seem to be a quite good year for what is rather an uncommon species now locally.  The last two garden records have been of rather battered individuals, though, and the one below was shot from its "good side"!  Least Carpet also seems to be having quite a good year.  One of those moths which is spreading and increasing in abundance, it first appeared in the garden in 2005 and numbers have increased almost annually since then, such that I had an extraordinary count of 49 individuals in 2018.  I don't think that number will be matched again this year but 14 have appeared so far and they should go on into August.

Lappet, Westcott 18th July

Least Carpet, Westcott 18th July

I've just noticed that this is our 4,000th blog entry in just six and a bit years.  Well done everyone!

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks