June 16 catch-up

Not content with finally getting Lime Hawkmoth, a few days later I got the other missing "hawk" that has shunned my garden trap for six years. Also new was Flame Carpet, though unfortunately a partly worn individual.

Pine Hawkmoth - new for garden - 20th June

Flame Carpet - new for garden 21st June

A few moths that I get every year but not particularly commonly were also noted

 Broken-barred Carpet - most of mine have a proper break - 22nd June

 Grass Rivlet - blown across from the chalk hillside - 9th June

 Pale Tussock - a female for a change - 7th June

 Vapourer

White Ermine - 15th June

White-spotted Pug

Small White Wave

Pick of the bunch of new moths for the year in this recent warm spell, but not easy to get a photo as it was pale, was this Small White Wave. Needed a little bit of Levels adjustment in Photoshop to bring out the cross lines.

Small White Wave - NFG 20th May 2014

Also of interest to me at least:

 Toadflax Brocade - one in 2010, three in 2013, first for 2014 on 22nd May (established now I guess)

 Light Brocade - two in 2011, now four so far in 2014

 (un)-Broken-barred Carpet - average two each year but this is the first I have had with out a break in the central stripe

Pale Tussock - such hairy legs !!

Mid June goodies

Just about getting going now at Wychwood Moths with numbers still low but the first signs of some proper diversity in the catch. Some images capture of some of those species not so well recorded in all traps around the county.

Small Elephant Hawkmoth - second for garden 16th June, in immaculate condition;
previous was a battered individual found dead in trap 26th June 2011

Toadflax Brocade - second for garden 16th June; 

previous record was coincidentally on 16th June 2010 and was the second record for VC30

Broken-barred Carpet - sixth garden record on 11th June and a species notably absent from the list of some of the well known local trappers

First weekend of June

A nice selection over the weekend with three NFG (Puss Moth, Shaded Pug and Ingrailed Clay) with a good supporting cast of NFY to go with them, some commoner than others.

Puss Moth - NFG 4th June

Shaded Pug (record photo through the side of glass pot I'm afraid) - uncommon in VC30 and NFG on 2nd June

Freyers Pug

Broken-barred Carpet (local but had a couple last year) - NFY 4th June

Double Square-spot (first for year of a common visitor)

Grass Rivulet (a few of these last year and numerous on the local hills at the moment)

Ingrailed Clay (these seem to be very variable from browsing other images) - NFG 4th June

Shoulder-striped Wainscot (a repeat of last years belated ex-photo discovery)

Pile of Carpets - Summer 2010

With the continuing coldness of winter, I have concluded that I will go through December with no moths at all this month. So I thought a chance to go through the images from the summer, before this blog began, and pull out some variety to remember the warmer times. To begin a short series of selections, here are a pile of carpets from June and July.

Common Marbled Carpet, the most frequent and numerous Carpet sp in the garden this summer with lots in June and a second generation around end September and early October.

This one is the paler form.

Common Marbled Carpet. This one is the darker form which was more regular than the pale.


Least Carpet (just two of these in July)


July Highflyer (seven of these - all in July)

Phoenix (five of these - 27/6 and four in July) showing resting position with the abdomen curled upwards

Common Carpet (not common at all in the garden )

Spruce Carpet which appeared in summer and again in October

Grey Pine Carpet appeared in June and October - not all grey as this one shows

Garden Carpet - the second most common with nearly as many visits as the CMC

Blue- bordered Carpet (a scarcer moth and from this group probably my favourite due to its beautiful blue hues) - occurred 25/6, 29/6 and 18/7

Broken-barred Carpet (another scarcer local species) - three in June