Westcott, Bucks

The weather during the last two weeks of April was rather poor.  There were no blank nights but the number of additions to the site year-list suffered accordingly:

     (18th)  Adela reaumurella, Pseudoswammerdamia combinella, Least Black Arches

     (20th)  Frosted Green

     (22nd)  Poplar Hawk-moth

     (26th)  Garden Carpet, Flame Shoulder

     (28th)  Lesser Swallow Prominent

     (29th)  Lime Hawk-moth

     (30th)  Elachista canapennella (to be confirmed), Red Twin-spot Carpet, Green Carpet, Waved Umber,

                 Shuttle-shaped Dart.

Lime Hawk-moth, Westcott 29th April

Garden Carpet, Westcott 26th April

Flame Shoulders, Westcott 26th April

The two Hawk-moths were certainly early, but on looking back I see that neither was the earliest I've had here.  Poplar Hawk-moth has appeared twice before in April, the earliest being on the 21st (in 2011), while Lime Hawk-moth has managed three previous April appearances of which the earliest was on the 15th (in 2007).

Hebrew Character has been the one reliable moth in the trap each night and the count so far this year, since the first one on 4th February, has now reached 595 which is currently the second highest total ever for the garden.  There should be a few more to come yet but I doubt that this year's final total will beat the 706 recorded in 2010. 

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks