Westcott, Bucks

Much of the first half of November was better than expected in the garden thanks to the stationary anticyclone which kept us in relatively warm conditions even though it remained very gloomy.  47 different adult moth species put in appearances here over the period (13 micros, 34 macros) and species numbers for each catch remained in the mid-20s which is quite good for the time of year.  With that warmer weather now just a memory and much colder conditions in store, at least for the next week or so, catches here each night have dropped to single digits already both for species and individual moths.  There were a small number of new arrivals for the 2024 garden list during the warmer part of this period and everything which can reasonably be expected for the year has now turned up:

     (1st)  Scarce Umber

     (5th)  Caloptilia rufipennella (retained), December Moth

     (6th)  Caloptilia betulicola/elongella (retained)

     (9th)  Diurnea lipsiella

The two Caloptilia species have been kept for checking (rufipennella is quite common here, but I have very few garden records of either betulicola or elongella).  A nice fresh example of Diurnea lipsiella on the 9th was, surprisingly, a first for Westcott and takes the site lepidoptera list to at least 1,115 species (further possible additions await dissection).  On that note, I had a very good candidate for Spiny Hook-tip on 1st November which has joined a handful of others from back in September that await critical examination, although I think the earlier ones will all turn out to be Oak Hook-tip which seems to have had a better than usual autumn brood locally. 

Caloptilia species, Westcott 6th November

Diurnea lipsiella, Westcott 9th November

December Moths, Westcott 5th November

Scarce Umber, Westcott 1st November

Scarce Umber is doing rather well at the moment (26 individuals to date, meaning that last year's record total of 29 is likely to be surpassed).  Feathered Thorn has also been appearing in good numbers with 123 so far this autumn which makes it the second highest count ever here, although I suspect it will struggle to beat the 149 seen in the garden last year because the moth is now well past its peak.  

Possible migrants over this period included Udea ferrugalis (3rd, 7th, 8th), Palpita vitrealis (1st, 10th), Turnip Moth (2nd), Dark Sword-grass (1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 15th), Angle Shades (2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th), Pale Mottled Willow (1st, 10th) and Silver Y (1st, 2nd, 3rd).  Another example of Musotima nitidalis appeared on the 1st.  

Dave Wilton Westcott, Bucks