Westcott, Bucks

Last night's collection of moths in the garden took me up to 100 species for the year on exactly the same date that this milestone was achieved in 2019.  There have been a few more early moths over the past week, including Rhyacionia pinivorana (23rd) and Lime-speck Pug & Lime Hawk-moth (both 26th) which were my first ever April records of those species.  Other additions to the year-list have included Aphomia sociella, Maiden's Blush, Red Twin-spot Carpet, V-Pug, Waved Umber, Sallow Kitten, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pale Prominent, Chocolate-tip, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Dagger sp & Angle Shades, so nothing out of the ordinary.  The Dagger will have to be inspected but my first examples each year always seem to be Grey Dagger.

Rhyacionia pinivorana, Westcott 23rd April

Lesser Swallow Prominent, Westcott 24th April

Lime Hawk-moth, Westcott 26th April

Another garden larval record yesterday afternoon was a smart mid-instar caterpillar of Green-brindled Crescent found on our blackthorn, one I've seen several times before so the field guide wasn't troubled on this occasion!  Larvae of Mottled Umber (on elm) and Winter Moth (on apple & hazel) have also been recorded here over the past couple of days.

Larva of Green-brindled Crescent, Westcott 26th April

Dave Wilton
Westcott, Bucks