Westcott, Bucks

Well, that was a productive fortnight in the garden considering that we're still supposed to be in the depths of winter!  The actinic was run every night and moths turned up each time, occasionally in some numbers.  Putting to one side the potential consequences for all invertebrates of what ever-milder winters might mean in the longer term, the forecast is currently looking good for moth catches at least until the end of February - no frosts at any rate - so if you haven't already started trapping for the year then I suggest you get going.  Tonight and possibly the following couple of nights are looking particularly promising for migrants on the current southerly airstream as well as for our early-flying species which are often under-recorded.  

The garden year-list at Westcott has now passed 30 adult moth species and new arrivals during the first two weeks of February comprised the following:

     (3rd)  Agonopterix ocellana, Acleris schalleriana, Acleris ferrugana/notana, Oak Beauty, Clouded Drab

     (4th)  Hebrew Character

     (8th)  Tortricodes alternella, Dotted Border

     (9th)  Small Quaker

     (10th)  Agonopterix alstromeriana

     (12th)  March Moth

     (13th)  Caloptilia semifascia, Shoulder Stripe, Angle Shades

     (14th)  Ypsolopha ustella, Pale Pinion

Caloptilia semifascia, Westcott 13th February

Ypsolopha ustella, Westcott 14th February

Agonopterix ocellana, Westcott 3rd February

Tortricodes alternella, Westcott 8th February

Oak Beauty, Westcott 3rd February

Angle Shades, Westcott 13th February

Pale Pinion, Westcott 14th February

Hebrew Character, Westcott 4th February

Of the Orthosia species, I've currently had only two examples of Small Quaker but the other three which have appeared already are now turning up nightly in some numbers, so this is well and truly an early start to their season rather than just the appearance of a few outliers.  Last night, for example, I had Common Quaker (13), Clouded Drab (3) & Hebrew Character (6).

There have been few "non-moths" attracted to the light over this period apart from assorted Diptera.  The only exceptions have been a 10-spot Ladybird Adalia decempunctata (4th) and, unfortunately for our Lepidoptera, the annual invasion by the ichneumon wasp Ophion variegatus.  The count for the latter had reached 98 individuals here by last night since the first on 25th January, presumably accounting for an identical number of now-deceased noctuid caterpillars in the area around our garden.

Ophion variegatus, Westcott 13th February

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks