Two brown newbies to end the summer

The end of August and into September was as expected full of brown moths with limited colour (other than on the underwings) to bring some variety. Two NFG's for me however, one that has been scarce the last few years in this area, and one that is listed as a rare resident.

 Small Square-spot, NFG 29th August, and recorded also 3rd Sept

Hedge Rustic, NFG 30th August - a different darker individual trapped on 3rd Sept

Also of interest, to me at least:

 Orange Swift variant

Tawny-barred Angle - second garden record, previous June 2010

 Feathered Gothic

 Square-spotted Clay - three moths caught on one night (29th Aug) one previous record 11th Sept 2010

Buff Footman 3rd Sept - one previous record July 26th 2010

Wychwood Moths first birthday

Today, 2nd June, is one year to the day when moth trapping and proper recording began at Wychwood Moths following collection of the "Ratface Twin 15W actinic/UV Skinner". In that first year, the garden list was 201 macro species (pending a couple of frozen confusing pugs that need to be investigated); but the official garden list is 203 as it includes Hummingbird Hawkmoth which was recorded three times in the garden but all pre-2010 and Feathered Thorn that was recorded in my bathroom in autumn of 2009. Lots of highlights in that period but for pure rarity value, the VC30 vice-county 2nd Toadflax Brocade, one month after the first, was top of the list. However, the thrill of finding such stunning beasts as the Hawkmoths in the trap in the morning still remains, and even among the commoner species there are some more subtly beautiful varieties. I have added a couple of images of favourites here which have not appeared on the blog previously:
Maple Prominent


Peppered Moth


Leopard Moth


Lunar-spotted Pinion

Privet Hawkmoth

Sallow Kitten

Shark

Tawny-barred Angle

Toadflax Brocade