August roundup - on the brink

A subdued month vs expectation in which trapping was partly restricted by holidays away. One new for the garden takes me to 299 macros so hoping for something special for the headliner 300th.

Lesser Swallow Prominent - new for garden 24th August - rather worn and found sitting in wet grass next to the trap

 Orange Swift - brown female, mostly I get small orange examples of this species and this was huge

 Small Ranunculus - not established around here yet - this is only the third one that I have caught

Yellow-barred Brindle - fresh and green

 Garden Dart - six in five years of this scarce species, always to manage to get one for the year list

Knot Grass - another scarcer one for me, usually just one each year

Herald - third garden record

mid-September mix

As we get to the last week of September, Lunar Underwing has taken over number one spot from Large Yellow Underwing, and individuals of many of the autumn species have now appeared: Centre-barred Sallow, Deep-brown Dart, Large Ranunculus, Black Rustic, Brown-spotted Pinion, Beaded Chestnut and Green-brindled Crescent all on the year list. Before the earlier species go, I thought I'd catch up with a couple of photos from second and third weeks of the month.

Bloodvein - second for garden, first June 2010, get plenty of Small BV but this is a good one here.

Chinese Character - still think these are strange and certainly unique

Oak Hook-tip - three males in the trap on one night

Red Underwing - a couple on average each year

Small Ranunculus - unlike some parts of the county this species is rare here, second garden record only

Copper Underwing agg found deceased in the trap - that'll be a Svenssons then

Two new in two minutes

Two new for the garden out of two consecutive egg boxes this morning. One that has been caught by most of the active trappers locally now though still nationally rare, the other a partial fill for the prominent gap recently posted.

Small Ranunculus - new for garden 22nd August

Pale Prominent - new for garden 22nd August

Tawny Speckled Pug - not very many of these trapped here, either that or they are so battered that the tawny is not visible and they go in the pug sp box (four in 2010, all in August, but none in 2011, when I was away for most of August). Not illustrated on the blog previously

Wormwood Pug - just a couple a year of these. Not illustrated on the blog previously

Orange Swift - another one that was surprisingly not caught at all in 2011 maybe as I missed the main flight period