Second week of July

The rain is not abating and a couple of cooler spells have come along but the large ex-pub umbrella still allows the trap to run each night in the corner by the shed. Just a couple of highlights this week as the annual macro species total stumbles slowly to three figures. Nice to see Bufftip and Leopard which have virtually identical appearance profiles at Wychwood moths with two records of each in 2010 and neither in 2011.

 Leopard Moth 8th July - third garden record, previous 25/6/10 and 19/7/10, not in 2011

Bufftip 8th July - third garden record, previous 23/6/10 and 19/7/10, not in 2011

Reddish Light Arches - somewhat of a Wychwood Moths speciality, this well marked individual representing the 7th this year and the 22nd in three years with all but one in the last week of June or first week of July

Buff Ermine is a frequent catch - like to get a nice belly shot in occasionally

Barred Yellow regularly trapped - adds a bit of colour amongst the brown stuff 

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