Golden spell

As has been the case in recent  summers the middle to end of July is proving to be the best period for diversity of species in the garden and a golden spell of three new for the list in three days had an obvious highlight for me, a Golden Plusia, not only a rare species in the county at the moment but to my eyes a very nice looking one. Also new and generally more common was a Small Dotted Buff and a Small Phoenix. This followed on from two others new at the start of the month, Orange Footman and Small Yellow Wave. Also illustrated a very smart  Oak Nycteoline, very much better than the normal fairly plain ones I get.

 Golden Plusia - new for garden 20th July

Small Dotted Buff - new for garden 19th July

Small Yellow Wave - new for garden 4th July

Snall Phoenix - new for garden 21st July

Oak Nycteoline - this one trapped 10th July

June round-up

Not much happened during the month until the last week, with the year list steadily progressing with the usual suspects but not much of real note. Thankfully numbers and variety picked up in the last few days of the month. Unfortunately, other than one Dark Sword-grass, a few Diamond-backed Moths and a procession of Silver Y, I did not record any of the migrants that are currently winging their way around the country.  Only one new macro for me, a Tawny Shears.

 Tawny Shears - new for garden on 17th June

Dark Sword-grass - my sixth in five years, 16th June

 All black Peppered Moth impersonating a SR71 Blackbird

 White Ermine - second garden record, first in June 2010

 Toadflax Brocade - well established (four in May and five in June)

Ingrailed Clay - every one seems to be different

Broom Moth - a couple every year

Shark

Shoulder-striped Wainscot - common here but seemingly not for other county trappers