Thursday 27th August 2009 Westgate Thanet

A Vestal caught last night was a pleasant surprise, the only other migrants being a Dark Sword-grass and 2 Diamond-back Moths. Not much else over the last couple of nights, although an Ypsolopha sequella was new for the garden, a Carnation Tortrix is uncommon here, whilst other bits included a Small China-mark, Rush Veneer, 2 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwings, whilst a count of 86 Setaceous Hebrew Characters was notable. (Tim H)

Thursday 27th August 2009 Dumpton Thanet

Night of the 26th, 3 Rush Veneers, 1 Dark Sword-grass, 3 Diamond-back Moths and my first Dewick's Plusia 1 Old Lady and 1 Straw Underwing, good numbers of moths over the past two weeks but migrants are very few. (Gadget)

Tuesday 25th August 2009 Pegwell Bay and Newington Ramsgate

We came across another Red Underwing sitting on the office wall just as we were leaving Pegwell during the afternoon. On arriving home I started emptying my two moth traps and found a nice Striped Hawk Moth sitting in one of them. This continues my rather strange run of semi decent migrant moth recently which is extremely odd as I'm getting hardly any Silver Y's and no Dark Sword Grass at all. There was 1 Silver Y and 3 Rush Veneers otherwise no obvious migrants whatsoever. Other bits included 1 Sharp Angled Peacock, 2 Large Thorn, 1 Old Lady and a Straw Underwing amongst an average catch of the normal daily moths. (Phil M)

Tuesday 25th August 2009 Foreness Point

A Humming bird hawk moth in gardens next to Foreness this afternoon. (Rae Boulden)

Monday 24th August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

A half decent feeling muggy night produced a slightly better catch overnight which included singles of Small Waved Umber, V Pug, Currant Pug, Canary Shouldered Thorn, Large Thorn, Star Wort and a Small Mottled Willow. (Phil M)

Monday 24th August 2009 Westgate Thanet

A reasonable night last night, with just under 400 moths of 51 species, including 1 Orange Swift, 2 Spindle Ermine, 147 postvittana, 1 Cydia pomonella, 1 Rush Veneer, 12 Small Dusty Waves, 1 Common Carpet (never very common in this garden), 4 Light Emeralds, 1 Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 6 White-points, 1 Tree-lichen Beauty, 2 Old Ladies, 1 Rosy Rustic, 1 Gold Spot, 1 Silver-Y and 1 Spectacle. A Bordered Straw, Pandemis corylana and an Aproaerema anthyllidella were caught on the 19^th, whilst a few bits the night before last included Caloptilia syringella, Phyllonorycter geniculella, Small China-mark, Adaina microdactyla and Red Underwing. (Tim H)

Saturday 22nd August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

Another poor catch in slightly cooler condition than of late. Of note for here was a Six Striped Rustic a moth that crops up less than annually in my garden. Other non-nightly stuff included singles of Lobeisa Absciana, Pyrausta despicata, Straw Underwing and Gold Spot. It's been a record year for Gold Spots here (so it's not all doom and gloom - though it mainly is of course) I've taken 18 moths already this year - I usually only get 2 - 4 annually. That said Lobesia absciana was once a moth not even worthy of mentioning up until two years ago - they were very regular in the past but up until now I've only caught about half a dozen or so and they wont be on the wing for much longer. (Phil M)

Friday 21st August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

The moths have been very poor of late both in numbers and quality. That said overnight I did get a rarity in the shape of a worn Plumed Fan Foot amongst another very poor catch. I was indeed lucky to get the Fan Foot as I caught it the day prior but it escaped as I tried to pot it up. Not being 100% as to it's identity I decided to ignore it altogether but my luck was in as I found it sitting in a patch of shade next to one of the moth traps this morning - doubley lucky as I'd overslept my normal 5.30am alarm call (I forgot to set the alarm) and the moth had picked one of the only patches of shade to sit in as the sun was well up and shining brightly as I eventually blocked the traps up at 07.00am!! Other stuff overnight included a Ringed China Mark and a Chinese Character - nothing else was worth even mentioning. These past few nights I have taken singles of  Large Tabby on 18th, Restharrow (15th and 19th) Large Thorn on 19th and a rarity for my gaff in the shape of a Dusky Thorn on the 18th. (Phil M)

Sunday 16th August 2009 Westgate Thanet

Still rather disappointing in my garden, although I should be used to that by now. The garden list has however had a few additions recently, with Pebble Hook-tip last night and singles of Eucosma tripoliana, Platytes alpinella and Ear Moth a couple of nights ago. Other than that a couple of Dark Sword-grass, a few Tree Lichen Beauties, a Toadflax Brocade, Broad-barred White, 2 Small Waved Umber, Blood-vein and 2 Chinese Characters. Numbers last night included 15 Willow Beauties, 10 White-points and 10 Marbled Beauties. (Tim H)

Wednesday 12th August 2009 Pegwell and Newington Ramsgate

Whilst chatting with Tony Swandale near the office at Pegwell we spotted a nice Red Underwing sitting on the toilet block wall. My garden traps had a lot more common moths in them than they have in ages - little of any quality though. There was another Tree Lichen Beauty otherwise singles of Tawny Speckled Pug, Swallow Prominent, a stramineola Dingy Footman, Broad Barred White and a Small Ranunculus were the highlights. (Phil M)

Wednesday 12th August 2009 Pegwell & Kingsgate Traps

Night of 11/8. Still continuing to be on the disappointing side particularly with the reasonable conditions. Migrants picked up a bit at Pegwell last night with single Convolvulus Hawk, Four-spotted Footman and 3 Tree-lichen Beauties (whatever their status is now). Resident macros were pretty awful, the pick being a Bulrush Wainscot whilst 4 Ferns and 3 Small Waved Umbers is a reasonable number for the impoverished Thanet habitat. Micros were of more interest, the pick of which was Ethmia quadrillella - I believe only the 2nd Kent record since 1961. Other than that, Nemapogon clematella, Argyresthia albistria and Orthotelia sparganella are notable for the site. A Tree-lichen Beauty and Ni were the only notables in a very poor catch at Kingsgate. (F Solly)

Tuesday 11th August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

Not much overnight though in days gone by two Tree Lichen Beauties and a Southern Wainscot would have been good moths - the Wainscot still is but there are loads of the others about at the present moment. Vey little else worthy of mention showed up - singles of Pine Leaf Mining Moth, Pyrausta despicata, Dark Barred Twin Spot Carpet etc. (Phil M)

Sunday 9th August 2009 Newington  Ramsgate

Another disappointingly small catch was boosted by the addition of singles of Small Phoenix, Garden Tiger, 3 Knotgrass and a very tatty Ni Moth which is a long awaited first for my rather naff at attracting migrants garden. The three Knotgrass is significant for here especially as it's more than I caught in the whole of 2008.They are far more abundant this year as are quite a few mid range species. (Phil M)

Saturday 8th August 2009 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

Night of 7/8. Surprisingly, there was another Small Rufous at Kingsgate. A few more moths than the previous night, though no great shakes. 3 Dark Sword-grass, 5 Tree-lichen Beauties, 1 Small Mottled Willow and Oak Nycteoline were the best of the rabble. At Pegwell, 15 Tree-lichen Beauties, 4 Dark Sword-grass, 1 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Bordered Straw and 1 Ni. Resident bits included; Flame Carpet, Yellow V Moth, Monopis imella and 2 Coleophora albitarsella  (F Solly) Night of 6/8. Continuing to be disappointing at Pegwell and Kingsgate despite the seemingly good conditions. An unexpected moth for Thanet at Kingsgate was a Small Rufous - a 'stunningly' drab moth! Other than that, a late Small Elephant, 4 Tree-lichen Beauty and a Bordered Straw. At Pegwell, an Ash Pug, 10 Tree-lichen Beauties, Bulrush Wainscot, Clay Triple-lines and Lesser Treble-bar were of note. (F Solly)

Saturday 8th August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

Numbers of common moths continue to be very low. Of note in my catch overnight were singles of Cochylis mollilculana, Dichrorampha alpinana, Donacaula forficella, Wax Moth, Rush Veneer, Currant Pug, Plain Pug, 2 Bordered Pugs, 2 Sharp Angled Peacocks, Langmaid's Yellow Underwing, Dog's Tooth, 2 Knotgrass, 2 Twin Spotted Wainscots, Straw Underwing, Gold Spot and 3 Tree Lichen Beauties. (Phil M)

Friday 7thAugust 2009 Westgate Thanet

A few bits last night in this quietest of mothing backwaters included 2 Tree-lichen Beauties, a V-Pug, a Least Yellow Underwing, 5 White-points and 2 Gold-spots. Other bits in the few nights before this included up to 19 Bucculatrix thoracella, 1 Calamotropha paludella, 1 Pyrausta despicata, 2 Rush Veneers, 2 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpets, 2 Yellow Shells, 1 Dark Spinach, 1 Dingy Footman, 1 Small Ranunculus, 1 Tree-lichen Beauty, 1 Marbled Green, 1 Straw Underwing, 1 Cloaked Minor, 1 Rosy Rustic and 3 Gold-spots. (Tim H)

Thursday 6th August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

A far better night overnight for our mouthy friends. Amongst a medium sized catch I came across c40 Diamond Back's, 1 Adaina microdactyla, 1 Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, 1 Small China Mark, 1 Small Emerald, 1 Flame Carpet, 1 Currant Pug, 1 Sallow Kitten, 1 Dog's Tooth, 1 Rosy Minor, 1 Knot Grass, 1 Mathew's Wainscot and 1 Tree Lichen Beauty. The night previous was appalling given the conditions - I did catch singles of Red Twin Spot Carpet, Maiden's Blush, Wormwood Pug, Iron Prominent and Dusky Sallow. There was also a male Oak Eggar seen flying through the garden during the afternoon.  (Phil M)

Wednesday 5th August 2009  Cliffsend Thanet

Amongst a few nice moths I had a Rest-harrow, Tree-lichen Beauty, Sharp-angled Peacock and Early Thorn. (Claire Ward)

Monday 3rd August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

Moths taken overnight included 1 Zeiraphera iseratana, 1 Rusty Dot, 2 Rush Veneer, 1 Plain Pug, 1 Dark Barred Twin Spot Carpet, 1 Small Scallop, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 2 Brown Line Bright Eye, 1 Flounced Rustic, 6 Silver Y and 1 Gold Spot. (Phil M)

Sunday 2nd August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

A few moths overnight included 1 Rush Veneer, 1 Small Waved Umber, 1 Shaded Broad Bar, 1 White Spotted Pug, 1 Red Twin-spot Carpet, 1 Dark Barred Twin-spot Carpet, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 White Point, 1 Rustic, 1 Nutmeg, 2 Scarce Bordered Straw, 2 Rosy Rustic, 2 Twin Spotted Wainscot, 1 Toadflax Brocade and 5 Silver Y. Rather annoying one of my favourite little micro's - a Honeysuckle Moth, the first I've caught in years flew off just as I pressed the shutter for the first of several photos! It then proceeded to lead me a merry dance all around my garden before it flew off around the side of the house whilst I had 24 swishes at it with my net! It's the second half decent moth I've lost this past few days as I lost a mint Barred Rivulet under similar circumstances. I did catch one the following night but it was a right minger!  Aggghhh! Photography drives me up the wall. (Phil M)

Sunday 2nd August 2009 Cliffsend Thanet

Saturday 1st August 2009 Amongst the usual moths I had a Gold Spot, Scarce Chocolate-tip,  Small Rivulet & Ypsolopha sequella.  (Claire Ward)

Saturday 1st August 2009 Pegwell & Kingsgate Traps 

Night of 31/7. A bit of migrant activity at Pegwell last night which included 3 Scarce Chocolate-tips, 5 Dark Sword-grass, 1 Pearly Underwing, 1 Tree-lichen Beauty,1 Scarce Bordered Straw, 1 Small Mottled Willow and 32 Silver Ys. Residents of note included; Flame Carpet, Reed Dagger, Twin-spotted Wainscot, Gold Spot and Agonopterix liturosa. The best that Kingsgate could muster was 2 Tree-lichen Beauty and the garden from hell was simply hellish!, Leaf mines of Phyllonorycter kleemannella were abundant on Alder along the Haven at Sandwich Bay last weekend, I took a couple and the critters emerged yesterday (F Solly)

Saturday 1st August 2009 Newington Ramsgate

Another extremely poor catch of the local common moths were bulked up witha few semi-interesting migrants overnight.Amongst virtually naff all I found a Mullein Wave, a Shaded Broad Bar, 1 Barred Rivulet, 2 Langmiad's Yellow Underwings and a Toadflax Brocade and the migrants were c12 Diamond Backed Moths, 1 Gem, 1 Small Mottled Willow, 1 Scarce Bordered Straw and 6 Silver Y's. The night previous was awful too though I get scrape out another Barred Rivulet (a different one to last nights) 1 Langmaid's Yellow Underwing, 1 Reed Dagger, 1 Sycamore and 1 Lychnis. The number of moths generally are appaling for the time of year here in concrete land anyway - hopefuly it's been better on other parts of the Isle of endless barren wasteland? (Phil M) (thinking of giving up?)

Saturday 1st August 2009 Westgate Thanet

A few bits this morning included Bucculatrix thoracella, 5 Eudemis profundana, 2 Spilonota ocellana, Pammene fasciana, Small Blood-vein, Poplar Hawk Moth, Swallow Prominent, Least Yellow Underwing, Dog’s Tooth, Knot Grass, Tree-lichen Beauty and Marbled Green.(Tim H)