Thursday 30th July 2009 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

Night of 29/7. A truly awful night - a case of hunt the moth in the trap. The only thing of note at Kingsgate was a Chocolate-tip whilst Pegwell fared better by virtue of a Black Arches - the first that I have caught on Thanet. (F Solly)

Wednesday 29th July 2009 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

Night of 28/7. Calm and cloudy, what next! Unfortunately it seems to have caught the moffs by surprise as well. Variety and numbers were very poor at Kingsgate and Pegwell. Not all doom and gloom though as there were a couple of niceties. As I lifted the funnel off the Kingsgate trap, a nice but nervous looking Orache was on the underside, unfortunately it flew into the nearby privet as I reached for a pot. Other than that, a Tree-lichen Beauty and Dark Sword-grass. Amongst the residents was a nice Saltern Ear and first of season Rosy Rustic. At Pegwell, a Scarce Chocolate-tip (one also at Kingsgate yesterday) and Hoary Footman were the pick of the bunch; with first of the year Barred Rivulet, Garden Dart, Sitochroa palealis and Cochylimorpha alternana. (F Solly)

Tuesday 28th July 2009  Newington Thanet

Another poor catch overnight – don’t worry I’m getting used to it. The highlights were 1 Agdistis bennetii, 1 Small Fan Footed Wave, 1 Plain Pug, 1 Poplar Hawk Moth, 1 Sallow Kitten and not very much else! I had a few ‘bits’ yesterday – a Pemepelia obductella, 1 Pyrausta cespitalis, 1 V Pug, 1 Shaded Pug, 1 Maple Prominent, 1 Swallow Prominent, 1 Double Lobed and a Gold Spot showed up in the traps. (Phil M)

Monday 27th July 2009 Westgate Thanet

It's been rather quiet on the moth front recently although I've been away on and off so the trap hasn't always been on, There were a couple of new micros for the garden last night in the shape of Eucosma obumbratana and Holly Tortrix, whilst a few other
bits included Lobesia abscisana, Blood-vein and two Small Ranunculus, an Old Lady appeared for the first time this year and 6 Campions was a high count for the garden, Other bits over the last few nights have included 3 Caloptilia stigmatella,1
Argyresthia bonnetella,1 Limnaecia phragmitella, 2 Eudemis profundana, 2 Small China-mark,1 Dark Sword-grass, 4 Small Ranunculus,1 Brown-line Bright-eye,1 Spectacle and 1 Herald. (Tim H)

Sunday 26th July 2009 Cliffsend Thanet

I haven't had much time to trap lately but over the last week I have had a Starwort, several Small Ranunculus, a Miller, Black Arches, Gold Spot (I know they are common but it was my first ever   Evergestis extimalis & I think a Platytes alpinella.   (Claire Ward)

Friday 24th July 2009 Pegwell & Kingsgate Late News

A few bits and pieces over the last week or so, although on the whole rather unremarkable, the stiff SW breeze being particularly troublesome at Pegwell. A scattering of migrants, including 2 Hoary Footman at Pegwell, single Small Mottled Willow at Pegwell and Kingsgate, likewise with Tree-lichen Beauty, Bordered Straw and Ni at Kingsgate, Gem at Pegwell. A few residents of interest for the Thanet wastelands - Pebble Hook-tip, Dotted Rustic, Slender Brindle and the disappointingly bland Thiotricha subocellea (a tick) at Kingsgate; Coxcomb Prominent, Wormwood, up to 3 Olives, Small Scallop and Monochroa palustrellus at Pegwell.  Also odd Langmaid's Yellow Underwings, Small Ranunculus and Toadflax Brocades former notables that now just fall within the expected. (F Solly)

Wednesday 22nd July 2009 Eastry

Fresh emergences of note included-both Swallow Prominent, Nut Tree Tussock, Dark Spectacle, Turnip Moth and Shuttle-shaped Dart. Also nice to see lots of Yellow Tail, Early Thorn, and a couple of Rosy Footman, Fancy Phoenix and Latticed Heath are regular now among all the usual suspects, fifty-seven species (coincidentally) this morning. (Bill Martin)

Tuesday 21st July 2009 Newington Thanet

The low cloud and lighter southerly wind encouraged a few more moths into my garden at long last after an awfully long near barren patch. This weather we're 'enjoying' is doing my head in. Anyway - overnight I turned up 1 Lesser Wax Moth, 2 Small fan Footed Wave, 1 Phoenix, 1 Cypress Pug, 2 White Spotted Pug, 1 Currant Pug, 2 Early Thorn, 3 Dingy Footman, 2 Brown Line Bright Eye, 1 Nutmeg, 1 Knotgrass, 1 Small Ranunculus and 1 Scarce Chocolate Tip. Numbers of Common Rustics jumped up to 36 compared with low double figures all this week. I've not had much of any note recently - 2 Langmaid's Yellow Underwing, a couple of Kent Black Arches, a Leopard Moth and a male Oak Eggar being probably the most interesting things? (Phil M)

Monday 13th July 2009 Newington Ramsgate

Moths overnight included 1 Holly Tortrix,1 Cherry Bark Moth,1 Lozotaeniodes formosanus,1 Donacaula forficella,1 Rush Veneer,1 Small Emerald,1 Leopard Moth,1 Double Square Spot,1 Brown Line Bright Eye and 1 Star Wort. (Phil M)

Sunday 12th July 2009 Newington Ramsgate

A few thingamy's overnight included 2 Phtheochroa inopiana,1 Eupocilia angustana,1 Synaphe punctalis,1 Slender Pug,1 Early Thorn,1 Kent Black Arches, 2 Dark Sword Grass,1 Nutmeg,1 Bordered Sallow,1 Rosy Minor, 2 Lesser Common Rustic and 1 Herald. (Phil M)

Saturday 11th July 2009 Newington Thanet

A slightly better selection of moths at the lights overnight included singles of Red Barred Tortrix, Schoenobius gigantella, Haworth's Pug, Grey Pug, Clouded Border, 2 Latticed Heath, 1 July Highflyer, 1 female Ghost Moth,1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Brown Line Bright Eye, 1 Sycamore, 1 Varied Coronet, 1 Square Spot Rustic, 2 Cloaked Minors etc. Numbers of common moths were fairly reasonable. (Phil M)

Saturday 11th July 2009 Westgate Thanet

A few bits last night included my first Tree-lichen Beauty of the year plus Buff-tip, Dusky Sallow, Sycamore, Small Ranunculus, Yellow Shell, Buff Arches and Hawthorn Moth. (Tim H)

Thursday 9th July 2009 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps + North Foreland

Night of 8/7. Dull just about sums up the moff traps at the moment and last night was particularly bad. A marked increase in Common Footman (77) at Kingsgate and 5 Fan-foots is a notable count on Fannet whilst the attractive Coleophorid - Goniodoma limoniella was the only thing of minor interest at Pegwell. A late morning walk along probably the best quality flowery grassland on Fannet - the coastal strip at North Foreland, produced a few Silver Ys and a selection of micros including; Aethes hartmanniana, Aethes tesserana, Endothenia oblongana and Cydia microgrammana (F Solly)

Thursday 9th July 2009 Newington Thanet

Another poor night for moths out in the garden due to the irritating overly cool nigh time temperature, Virtually nothing worth mentioning the fifth July Highflyer of the summer, 2 Marbled Greens, 2 Rustics etc. Very dull! (Phil M)

Wednesday 8th July 2009 Pegwell and Newington

Whilst birding at Pegwell this afternoon I saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth fly north along the sea wall over the salt marsh. The garden moth trapping has been poor these past two nights but it's been pretty good prior to that. Last nights highlights were a measly Synaphe punctalis and a Double Square Spot amongst a medium catch of other common stuff. Recently I've taken a few bits such as a few Haworth's Pugs,1 Wormwood Pug, 2 Yarrow Pugs,1 Rosy Wave,1 Shaded Broad Bar, a few July Highflyers, 1 Pretty Chalk Carpet, 1 Ruddy Carpet, 1 Privet Hawk Moth, 3 Bordered Sallows, 1 Mere Wainscot, 3 Small Ranunculus, 1 Clancy's Rustic,1 Marbled White Spot,1 Dingy Shears,1 Fan Foot, 1 Dotted Fan Foot etc. I haven't taken any more Rannoch Loopers since the 26th of last month. (Phil M)

Sunday 5th July 2009 Westgate Thanet

Another excellent night's mothing, with 90 species and highlights of Lilac Beauty, July Highflyer, Dingy Shell, Caloptilia stigmatella, Schoenobius gigantella, Trachycera advenella, 2 Buff Arches, Small Emerald, Dwarf Cream Wave, Eyed Hawk Moth, Mouse Moth and 4 Dun-bars. The previous couple of nights included a Privet Hawk Moth, 41 Water Veneers, 2 Yponomeuta rorella, Prays fraxinella, 520 Diamond-backs, Limnaecia phragmitella, Eucosma conterminana, Twenty-plume Moth, Small Blood-vein, Fen Wainscot and a Clancy's Rustic. (Tim H)

 Friday 3rd July2009 Westbrook Thanet

Spotted a Humming-bird Hawk Moth in my garden in Westbrook, at midday, (Bernie Farrell)

Wednesday 1st July 2009 Westgate Thanet

As per everyone else, lots of moths over the past few nights. 81 species recorded on the night of June 26^th was the highest I have seen in the urban wastelands of Westgate. Francis has already mentioned the best moth, which was Catoptria verellus, a rare migrant from the continent. Other bits have included Emmetia marginea, Yponomeuta rorella, Eulamprotes wilkella, Archips podana, Aleimma loeflingiana, Endothenia oblongana, Epiblema scutulana, Schoenobius gigantella, European Corn-borer, Orthopygia glaucinalis, Meal Moth, Large Tabby, Barred Straw, The Engrailed, Maple Prominent, Short-cloaked Moth, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Small Ranunculus, Varied Coronet, Fen Wainscot, Bordered Sallow, The Herald and the Fan-foot. (Tim H)

Wednesday 1st July 2009 Dumpton Thanet

The past few nights have been warm and still in my Garden the result being lots of moths, Last night was one of the best nights for a long time 69 Species and a total of 469 Moths, (Gadget)

Sunday 28th June 2009 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

The NE wind has finally stopped and even more surprising the last couple of nights have been warm and set to continue, Lots of moths in the Pegwell and Kingsgate traps and a host of what are notable moths for the impoverished Isle including: Poplar Lutesring, Blue-bordered Carpet, Brown Scallop, Dark Umber, Bordered White, Green Silver-lines, Birds Wing, Slender Brindle and Marbled White Spot, Some quality migrants - although virtually an absence of the commoner ones. At Pegwell, a Spurge Hawk and Plumed Fan-foot, at Kingsgate; Rannoch Looper, Scarce Black Arches and the pyralid Catoptria margaritella (3rd Kent record?). Up to 50 Bird Cherry Ermines are presumably migrants as with 2 Yponomeuta rorrella. Tim came round to 'twitch' the Hawk and brought along a load of micros that he was yet to id and as I was going through those I came across the cracking pyralid Catoptria verellus. (F Solly)