Sunday 31st August 2008 Newington Thanet

Nothing too exceptional these past two nights amongst the slightly decreasing catches. I did actually catch a Rush Veneer (Oooooh!) the night before last - the fact that I make mention of it just goes to show how bad it's been for migrants species this year. A slight increase also of Silver Y's with 5 moths the past two nights. Yawn. Overnight turned up 1 Maiden's Blush, 1 Purple Bar, 1 Tawny Speckled Pug, 2 Large Thorns, 1 Rosy Rustic, 1 Old Lady etc. Summers gone - roll on autumn. At this rate I'll have to take up birding again? (Phil M)

Friday 29th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Lots more moths - lot less quality mind you! Large Yellow Underwing numbers topped 100 for the first time and Square-spot Rustics climbed to 43.Otherwise much of the common stuff was present in the normal high numbers. 'Bits' included: 3 Maiden's Blush,1 Small Waved Umber,1 Tawny-speckled Pug,1 Yellow Belle and 2 Old Lady. (Phil M)

Thursday 28th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Lots of common moth activity overnight with and endless stream of stuff coming to the lights well into the night - mainly Large Yellow Underwings but also good numbers of other stuff too, Far better than last week anyway - I thought about chucking myself in front of a bus it was so bad last week. I'm dedicated but ever so slightly raving bonkers. Anyway - top billing for the ultra illuminated concrete Newington Estate back garden visible from the moon and way beyond went to two scarcities for here, a Scorched Carpet and the Pyralid Ebulea crocealis. Otherwise two moths traps filled with all the normal stuff including 4 Water Veneer, 2 Tawny-speckled Pugs,7 Yellow-barred Brindles, (a good number for my gaff)1 Maiden's Blush,1 Chinese Character,1 Straw Underwing,1 Old Lady etc etc blah blah blah. Please note 'etc etc blah blah blah' isn't a moth species but the sound of my cyber waffling in a written fashion. Also - please note the 'Old Lady' was indeed a moth and not an octogenarian female attracted to the lights on her way back from a drunken night at the bingo hall. (Phil M)

Wednesday 27th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Numbers of common moths remained high overnight - nothing too exciting but a nice mixed bag consisting of 70+ species (51 macro's) 'Bits' included: 2 Maiden's Blush, 1 Purple Bar, 1 Small Waved Umber, 1 Bordered Pug, 1 Tawny-speckled Pug, 1 Garden Tiger, 1 Swallow Prominent, 2 Straw Underwing, 3 Cloaked Minor, 4 Straw Dot, 2 Copper Underwing and 1 Old Lady. Numbers of commoner species were high with 12 species into double figures including 59 Large Yellow Underwing (boo hiss), 27 Setaceous Hebrew-character, 33 Square-spot Rustic and 46 Vine's Rustics. (Phil M)

Tuesday 26th August 2008 Newington Thanet

A much better night for moths overnight with a nice selection of common stuff in the light traps.49 species of macro and many micro's (by comparison with how it's been anyway) the most notable being singles of Cyclamen Tortrix, Evergestis extimalis, Satin Wave, Maiden's Blush, 2+ Purple-bar, 1 Yellow-barred Brindle, 1 Large Thorn, 1 Chinese Character, 1 Swallow Prominent, 2 Cloaked Minor, 1 Broad-barred White, 1 Lesser Common Rustic and 2 Straw Dot. (Phil M)

Monday 25th August 2008 Newington Thanet

A slight increase in numbers - mainly of Lesser & Large Yellow Underwings, though nothing like what we've come to expect of these species in a normal moth season. Of note for the garden was another Dog's Tooth (never common here) also singles of Pyrausta despicata, The Fern, Large Thorn, Latticed Heath etc. (Phil M)

Sunday 24th August 2008 Newington Thanet

A slight increase in moth activity overnight which wasn't hard as the night prior was as a bad night as I've ever had mothing in the back garden at this time of year, with a single Flounced Rustic the pick of an extremely poor catch in very low temperatures. Last night I did at least get singles of Purple Bar, Latticed Heath, Dog's Tooth, Rosy Rustic and Garden Rose Tortrix plus numbers of Square-spot Rustics were up 23 which boosted general moth numbers somewhat. (Phil M)

Sunday 24th August 2008 Broadstairs Thanet

This very nice Garden Tiger was found in weeds in my garden this morning. A first sighting for me I think. (Simon Piggott)

Friday 22nd August 2008 Newington Thanet

Quite a lot of moths buzzing around the traps overnight - all common stuff but a nice selection if I'm to put a positive spin on my report? Another Small Waved Umber and 2 Nutmegs showed up - two otherwise regular species which have gone into steep decline in the past year or two. Other bits included - er um er...nothing else worth reporting.3 Dichrorampha acuminitana's were unusual - well to get three in one night is unusual anyway. I have got a Pug specie I'm unsure about? It might be a worn Ash Pug? It's certainly that sort of shape. That's it folks. (Phil M)

Friday 22nd August 2008 Dumpton Thanet

A pleasant surprise in the moth trap today a fresh Garden Tiger and a very tatty looking Convolvulus Hawkmoth which is the first this year and for some time. (Gadget)

Thursday 21st August 2008 Dumpton garden Thanet

night (Monday 18th) I captured a noctuid moth that defied all my attempts at id. It required the skills of Francis, who was also stumped initially, to arrive at the conclusion that it was a worn female Scarce Bordered Straw. In view of the complete lack of migrants, quite a nice garden record this year. Other bits during August have been my first garden record of Tree-lichen Beauty, 3 Langmaid's Yellow Underwing, several Dark Sword-grass and a peak count of 61 Silver Y's - a direct consequence of the presence of 5 mature buddliea bushes. Moths are really boring - unlike juvenile Herring Gulls!! (Dylan)

Thursday 21st August 2008 Newington Thanet

Another mediocre night at the moth traps. Of note singles of Purple Bar, Small Waved Umber, Lychnis, Rosy Rustic plus 1 Cyclamen Tortrix, 2 Ypsolopha scabrellas and the first Agriphila geneculea of the year.      (Phil M)

Wednesday 20th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Another average sort of night as the inevitable gales blew outside. A Pale Prominent, 2 Swallow Prominent, a Dun-bar and a Poplar Grey made it into the traps - though probably the most noteworthy moths (for the garden anyway) were two Pyralids, a male Small China-mark and a Pyrausta despicata. Neither of which were too much to get carried away with but there you go. The night prior I did catch a Sharp-angled Peacock, 2 Dark Sword-grass, 2 Silver Y's and a nice Gold Spot. (Phil M)

Monday 18th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Good numbers of moth’s overnight.1 Cochylis dubitana, 2 Small fan-footed Waves, 1 Bordered Pug, 1 Pale Prominent, 4 Swallow Prominent, 1 Dark Sword-grass, 1 Copper Underwing etc. Numbers of Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings were up to 44. (Phil M)

Sunday 17th August 2008 Newington Thanet

A slight improvement overnight as conditions improved at long last. Nothing too much of any quality but I did manage to get 51 species of macro moth plus a small assortment of various micro's. The catch contained singles of Zeiraphera isertana, Prays fraxinella, Small Fan-footed Wave, Mullein Wave, Bordered Pug, Current Pug, Yellow Belle, Maple Prominent, Iron Prominent, Dark Sword-grass, Lesser Common Rustic, Copper Underwing, Straw Dot and 2 Gold Spots. (Phil M)

Saturday 16th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Seemingly still quiet overnight - mind you I was buoyed by Solly's latest garden capture but on emptying the traps this afternoon (after ticking off his rarity) things were much as I had assumed from my various visits to the traps overnight. Singles of Mullein Wave, Broad-barred White, Gold Spot, Straw Dot, Dichrorampha acuminatana and a very late Aethes smeathmanniana amongst the various species of nightly stuff, surely it can't keep up with this level of naffness?? (Phil M)

Saturday 16th August 2008 Garden Ramsgate

Night of 15/8. A truly awful night for the moff traps with barely a moff to be seen. Surprisingly there was a goodie, even more surprising was that it was in the moth trap from hell - my garden, which can normally be relied upon to be devoid of anything even remotely interesting. The critter in question was a Tawny Wave. I noticed in some of his drivel that Phil mentioned Trachycera advenella as being interesting - what planet is he on? (F Solly)

Saturday 16th August 2008 Kingsgate Area

A brief wander on the Golf Course at Kingsgate after having had a miserable time at the trap produced large numbers of the attractive Gelechid - Chrsoesthia drurella around a patch of Fathen, its foodplant (F Solly)

Thursday 14th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Another sub standard night, I did get singles of Plain Pug, Swallow Prominent, Gold Spot, Herald and a real rare migrant  are you sitting down out there in cyber land ... ready? A Dark-sword Grass!!! Who would have thought eh? I apologise for my bludgeoning sarcasm. (Phil M)

Wednesday 12th August 2008 Newington Thanet

You know what's coming don't you? Yep - very little in the garden traps which were sitting there wasting electricity for most of the night. Bits I get annually but in low numbers included Ypsolopha scabrella, Purple Bar and Lychnis amongst low levels of common summer moths. Ypsolopha scabrella used to be a fairly regular visitor to the light traps (as did a number of other things come to that!) but nowadays I get less than half a dozen a year - sometimes only one or two. Let's hope the autumn moths are better than the summer? It'll certainly curtail my constant whinging on the moth page anyway. I blame F Solly of course he's been a very bad influence on me over the 30 years I've known him. Imagine it - knowing Solly for over 30 years!! You've got to feel sorry for me eh? Better go I could write pages of Solly bashing. (Phil M)

Tuesday 12th August 2008 Newington Thanet

I'm thoroughly sick of this weather. If it's not raining it's blowing a gale - yuk! Today’s back garden moth photo session in gales force winds was fun ... NOT! Anyway - the mothing was actually slightly better over here last night. Well ... slightly. I even caught a White Point - my first one of 2008 which is quite frankly ridiculous, but there you go.' Bits' included singles of Purple Bar, Plain Pug, Pale Prominent, Garden Tiger, Copper Underwing, Straw Dot, Rosy Rustic and 2 Marbled Green. Numbers of Lesser Broad-bordered Underwings jumped to 31 overnight too. That's it folks. (Phil M)

Monday 11th August 2008 Newington Thanet

More dullness!! Another poor catch - the wind dropped and a few more moths showed up than the night prior but very few. That said I did get a tick - nothing to get too carried away with as it was the micro Orthotaealia sparganella, but a nice little moth all the same. It had me scratching my head as to it's identity for quite a while as I thought it was a Gelechid. I clicked on all the Gelechid photos on the UK Moth website and couldn't find it?? Thoughts even turned to the Hairy one and a cry for expert but hairy help but then I had another look and found it after clicking on about another 100+ micro photos. I think it's quite a good moth as it's certainly not recorded in Kent all that often according to the Kent Moth Reports? Otherwise a Dichrorampha alpinana and 2 each of Swallow Prominent and Small Ranunculus just about warranting mention due to the scarcity of anything of any better quality, over 'n' out ... (Phil M)

Saturday 9th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Another mediocre night, brightened very slightly by the capture of a Barred Rivulet - only the third I've taken over here. The only other thing worthy of mention as I don't catch too many of them was a Cyclamen Tortrix - otherwise very poor. (Phil M)

Friday 8th August 2008 Newington Thanet

A few 'bits' overnight amongst another poorish overall catch. Singles of Webb's Wainscot, Straw Underwing and my third Langmaid's Yellow Underwing of the season are all noteworthy for the garden - the Webb's Wainscot only my third ever record and the first for many years. Also 2 Garden Tigers, 2 Straw Dot's and a Lesser Common Rustic - otherwise all the normal stuff in less than the normal numbers. (Phil M)

Thursday 7th August 2008 Newington Thanet

'Dull' just about sums last night up. After hearing about Franny's Gypsy Moth - I excitedly started emptying the traps this afternoon - my glee soon turning into disappointment with each egg-box I took out. I was still about until 02.30 and then back up at 04.15 to block the traps up so I did have quite a feel of how things were going if I'm honest. Hardly anything of note - the plumes Agdistis bennetii and Amblyptilia acanthadactyla plus a Blood Vein, Bordered Pug, Swallow Prominent, Rosy Minor, 3 Dun-bar and a Marbled Green - scraping the bottom of the barrel, Loads of migrants - 1 Silver Y and 4 Diamond-back's!! Dull, dull, dull!!! (Phil M)

Thursday 7th August 2008 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

Night of 6/8. Nice conditions apart from periodic storms/rain from 12.20am for the remainder of the night. Numbers and variety were once again disappointing with little of interest, although there were large numbers of the common micros at Pegwell. Not all doom and gloom though as there was a sniff of migration, the highlight being another from the 'desperate' list, a long overdue Gypsy Moth at Kingsgate, other than that just 2 Silver Y's were the only other potential migrants in the trap. Pegwell also had 2 Silver Ys, 1 Tree-lichen Beauty and 1 Lunar Thorn which may or may not have been migrants. A nice Ethmia bipunctella was the pick of the micros. (F Solly)

Wednesday 6th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Nothing too much to shout about overnight - 1 Adaina microdactyla,1 Rhyacionia pinicolana,1 Evergestis extimalis,1 Lychnis,1 Straw Dot etc - probably most noteworthy was a migrant specie - a Bordered Straw, Nothing else worth the effort of posting. (Phil M)

Tuesday 5th August 2008 Newington Thanet

An ever so slightly - incy wincy - better night for moths in the garden overnight. The better stuff included 4 Trachycera advenella (not that much better even I will admit) 3 Ringed China-marks, 1 Cochylis atricapitana, 1 Vine Moth, 1 Sallow Kitten, 1 Dog's Tooth, 1 Brown-line Bright-eye, 2 Lesser Common Rustics and a Rosy Rustic. The Kitten was only my fifth back garden record and I took three of those in one year, so it's a scarce moth to Britain’s brightest light up back garden. It's gotta improve ... surely?? Over 'n' out – (Phil M)

Tuesday 5th August 2008 Beltinge

Night 4/8 - very poor again overnight, of note were Langmaids Yellow Underwing, Rosy Footman and 2 Poplar Hawk Moths. First Vine's Rustic of the second brood here, along with Straw Underwing, Straw Dot, Mouse Moth and White-point. (Barry H)

Monday 4th August 2008 Newington Thanet

Just about as dull as it's possible to get at this time of the year with very little showing whatsoever. The single highlight was my fifth back garden record of Slender Brindle - the second of 2008.Otherwise singles of Epilblema foenella, Timothy Tortrix, Pale Prominent, 2 Straw Dots - yawn blah, blah etc. (Phil M)

Sunday 3rd August 2008 Newington Thanet

A dull night for our mothy friends I'm afraid. The 'highlights' were a Latticed Heath, a Garden Tiger, 2 Yellow-tail, a Least Yellow Underwing and a Small Ranunculus. I apologise for the misuse of the word 'highlights'! Tatty bye, (Phil M)

Sunday 3rd August 2008 SBBOT

A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was trap up in one of the observatories skylights it was potted and set free outside on the Buddleia were if fed for a few minutes before flying away, This is my first this year, (Gadget)

Saturday 2nd August 2008 Beltinge

Night 1/8 /08, a less humid night but still a fair few moths in the trap, 57 species of macro-moth, nothing great, highlights were:- Barred Rivulet, 2 Small Scallop, Small Fan-footed Wave, Bordered Pug, Tawny Speckled Pug, 7 Dingy Footman, 3 Poplar Hawk Moths, Cypress Pug, 6 Rosy Minor, 11 Least Carpet, Swallow Prominent, 2 Straw Dot, Broad-boarded Yellow Underwing, Single-dotted Wave, Dun-bar and Mouse Moth. Common Rustic numbers rose sharply to 43. Still not much signs of migration here. (Barry H)

Saturday 2nd August 2008 Newington Thanet

The stiff breeze eventually abated a little as night the wore on though still very few Geo's or micro's showed up. The highlights of the night were singles of (the Pyralids) Large Tabby, Evergestis extimalis and Meal Moth plus the macro's included 2 Small Fan-footed Wave,1 Mullein Wave,1 White-spotted Pug,1 Currant Pug,1 Plain Pug,1 Yellow-barred Brindle,2 Garden Tiger,1 Yellow-tail,1 tatty Slender Brindle,1 Lesser Common Rustic and 1 Straw Dot. Numbers of Common Rustics jumped up to 19 but otherwise numbers of common moths were quite low. (Phil M)

Friday 1st August 2008 Newington Thanet

A fairly average night for moths overnight - action was almost non-existent in the early part of the night but a few Silver Y's started to turn up around 02.00am which I would presume were migrants moving on the warm southerly airstream? There were 7 Silver Y's in the traps when I emptied them this afternoon but no other obvious migrants. The highlights of the night were 1 Batia unitella,1 Cochylis atricapitana,1 Strawberry Tortrix (I think anyway. it might be a laterana?),1 Meal Moth, 2 V-Pug,1 Canary-shouldered Thorn, a 'stramineola' type Dingy Footman,1 Least Yellow Underwing,1 Nutmeg and a Straw Dot. I was especially happy with the Thorn as it's only the second one I've ever taken in the back garden. Little things please little minds as they say. (Phil M)

Thursday 31st July 2008 Lydden

Moths at Lydden were limited to a couple of Straw Belles, lots of Six-spot Burnets, a single Pyrausta nigrata, a scattering of Pyrausta aurata, Acleris asperana, Oncocera semirubella and the plume Merrifieldia baliodactyla. (F Solly)

Thursday 31st July 2008 Newington Thanet

A pretty disappointing catch numbers wise in the garden overnight - especially so considering the high temperature, which held up all night. The pick of the bunch were 2 nice Garden Tigers a once common thing which has nigh on disappeared from my garden in recent years. Other thing of note included singles of Pammene aurata, Wax Moth, Engrailed, V Pug, Currant Pug, Langmaid's Yellow Underwing and Rosy Minor.  (Phil M)