Three New for Early May

Despite entering my sixth summer of garden trapping, the list continues to grow with three more new for the garden in a week despite relatively low overall catches. None of them rare in county but presumably so in my area. Also illustrated others that were of interest to me.

 Swallow Prominent - new for garden 11th May

 Mullein - new for garden 15th May

 Least Black Arches - new for garden 5th May

 Iron Prominent - trapped 7th, 8th and 16th May - only one previous record in June 2013

 Pale Tussock - common hairy beast

 Powdered Quaker - only average just over one a year of these, this on 10th May

 Maidens Blush - annual but only just, this one 7th May

Silver Y - first of the year of this common migrant 12th May

Tawny Pinion leads the April listings

A second garden tick for the year and closely related but much rarer than the first (Pale Pinion), this Tawny Pinio was a real surprise on an otherwise quiet night in the trap. To my knowledge, only three other's caught in VC30 since 2006, all from the Matt's efforts at Upper Caldecotte.

 Tawny Pinion, 24th April

Other recent more interesting species trapped include:

 Streamer - one of my favourites in the spring due to its purple tones, a handful trapped every year

 Herald - first spring record, previous only in July 2013

Powdered Quaker - a couple every year, usually appearing after the other quakers have started to diminish in numbers

Muslin Moth

First part of May

Apart from a couple of nights it's still not really got going yet this year in the garden. I have however managed  to get only my second ever garden Powdered Quaker and second ever Purple Thorn, which unfortunately got away before the shutter clicked. Waved Umber has produced a handful of specimens every year so far., all but one previously in April.

Late May roundup and a late NFG

Things beginning to pick up with the warm spell from mid-May though still well behind last year in species variety and numbers for the equivalent period. Finally picked up a Powdered Quaker as new for the garden at the end of their season just as I thought it might have slipped past me for the second year on the trot. 

Powdered Quaker - new for garden 27th May

Scalloped Hazel - showing the close relationship with the thorns

Nut-tree Tussock - inside the pub umbrella on my deck

Scorched Carpet - I get a handful of these each year, trapped in all months May to August