Westcott, Bucks

The weather had to swing into favourable conditions eventually and the middle of this two-week period finally produced a mini heat-wave (23rd-27th).  However, despite many more moths putting in an appearance over those nights, species totals for each catch only just about returned to where they should be.  The night of the 24th produced 97 species, while those of the 25th, 26th & 29th proved to be the first - and so far only - 100+ species catches of the year here.  Unfortunately things have dipped back again subsequently and the night of the 28th, when the temperature dipped to 5C by dawn under clear skies with a bright moon, produced only 36 species between the two lights although I never complain when the catch includes a Lappet!  Overall moth numbers still seem to be very much depressed, the only ones getting into double digits regularly at the moment being Chrysoteuchia culmella, the Uncertain/Rustic pair and Large Yellow Underwing.  Newcomers to this year's garden list since mid-June, taking the total past 400, have included the following: 

     (16th)  Argyresthia albistria, Metzneria lappella (retained for checking), Notocelia uddmanniana, Currant Clearwing (daytime, to lure) 

     (17th)  Epinotia bilunana, Red-belted Clearwing (daytime, to lure), Common Footman, Smoky Wainscot

     (18th)  Archips crataegana, Archips xylosteana, Aleimma loeflingiana, Apotomis turbidana, Ancylis achatana, Grapholita lobarzewskii (daytime, to lure), Eudonia mercurella, Riband Wave, Brown Scallop, Swallow-tailed Moth, Toadflax Brocade, Common Rustic (retained for checking) 

     (19th)  Dwarf Cream Wave, Dotted Fan-foot

     (20th)  Yponomeuta evonymella, Parachronistis albiceps, Aethes beatricella, Blotched Emerald, Common Emerald

     (21st)  Borkhausenia fuscescens, Clepsis spectrana, Hypsopygia glaucinalis, Lackey, Single-dotted Wave, Scalloped Oak, White Satin, Grey Dagger (retained for checking), Rustic

     (22nd)  Paraswammerdamia nebulella, Ephestia woodiella

     (23rd)  Phyllocnistis saligna, Limnaecia phragmitella, Alucita hexadactyla, Pterophorus pentadactyla, Lozotaenia forsterana, Gypsonoma dealbana, Acentria ephemerella, Buff Arches, Yellow-tail, Blackneck, Minor Shoulder-knot, Double Square-spot, Short-cloaked Moth

     (24th)  Coptotriche marginea, Carpatolechia fugitivella (retained for checking), Blastodacna hellerella, Pandemis heparana, Notocelia roborana, Rhyacionia buoliana, Grapholita janthinana, Hypsopygia costalis, Udea prunalis, Calamotropha paludella, Small Fan-footed Wave, Scarlet Tiger, Fan-foot, Dusky Brocade, Lunar-spotted Pinion, Kent Black Arches 

     (25th)  Bucculatrix albedinella (retained for checking), Eana incanana (retained for checking), Acleris holmiana, Neocochylis hybridella, Rhopobota naevana, Rhodophaea formosa, Homoeosoma sinuella, Patania ruralis, Leopard Moth, Lunar Hornet Moth (daytime, to lure), Rosy Footman, Scarce Footman, Dun-bar

     (26th)  Nemapogon koenigi (retained for checking) Ethmia dodecea, Phtheochroa inopiana, Euzophera pinguis, Small Blood-vein, Sycamore, Cloaked Minor, Lesser Yellow Underwing

     (27th)  Phycita roborella, Dingy Shears, Nutmeg, Clay

     (28th)  Spilonota ocellana, Delplanqueia inscriptella (retained for checking), Lappet 

     (29th)  Epiblema foenella, Acrobasis repandana, Anania coronata, Small Emerald, Round-winged Muslin, Delicate 

     (30th)  - nil - 

Phyllocnistis saligna, Westcott 23rd June

Likely Carpatolechia fugitivella, Westcott 24th June

Lappet, Westcott 28th June

Scalloped Oak, Westcott 21st June

Rosy Footman, Westcott 25th June

Toadflax Brocade, Westcott 18th June

The beautiful Rosy Footman first appeared here as a likely wanderer from Bernwood Forest in 2017.  However it may now be established much closer to home because it visited again in 2022 and 2023, so this is now the third year in a row that it has put in an appearance in the garden.  Two of them came to the actinic light on the 25th, very nice to see. 

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks