End of May - flying High

A good night on Sunday 29th with one new for garden and four more new for year. I saw my first ever May Highflyer when helping with the Home Wood survey last Wednesday night but knowing that they were listed as rare in Beds, I was not sure whether I would get one on the garden list, thankfully I did not have long to wait...

May Highflyer (new for garden 29/5)

Buff Ermine - first 29/5, had 14 in 2010

Barred Yellow, first 29/5, had five of these last year

Marbled Minor agg. - well marked.

There were more than 30 of these last year. A small sample that were identified to species indicated a ratio of approx 2:1 for Tawny Marbler Minor:Marbled Minor and no Rufous.

Marbled Minor - dark individual with a tawny back end (which may or may not have any significance ! )

Middle-barred Minor - only 4 of these last year

Sycamore - first on 29/5, there were five of these in 2010