Moth News

Moth News and Updates 2007

Last update: Tuesday 25th September 2007 at 23-50hrs

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August 2007 Report has been Archived

Moth Trip Reports

Moth Nights 2007

Tuesday 25th September 2007 Newington Thanet

Not very much going on out in the garden overnight. Feathered Ranunculus, were up to a high of 9 moths plus there was a single Delicate and the highlight was a nice fresh Dusky-lemon Sallow - only my third back garden record. Otherwise 'dullism' in profusion. (Phil M)

Tuesday 25th September 2007 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

Night of 24/9. A cool, clear night although the wind dropped. I would like to say that Kingsgate was dull but that word seems to have been over used, so I will settle for dire. A virtually empty trap with nothing of interest. Pegwell fared better in variety rather than numbers - a meagre 10 L-album Wainscots were the commonest moth. A few migrants with singles of Convolvulus Hawk, Delicate, and Rusty Dot Of the residents, Dusky-lemon Sallow, Centre-barred Sallow, Red Underwing, and the first Blair's Shoulder-knot were of most notes (F Solly)

Monday 24th September 2007 Newington Thanet

It's dull,dull,dull out there. Officially dull! Overnight I caught even less than usual though I did find the first Clancy's Rustic I've taken in ages in one of the traps plus there was a male Vapourer flying around the back garden in the afternoon sun earlier. The night before I caught more moths but nothing other than 2 Centre-barred Sallows warranted any sort of mention. Did I make mention of just how dull it is out there this year? Dull!! (Phil M)

Monday 24th September 2007 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

Night of 23/9. Very poor overnight conditions for moffing so 4 Delicates and singles of Rush Veneer and Palpita vitrealis at Kingsgate was a bit of a surprise though very little else. Pegwell was blown out. (F Solly)

Monday 24th September 2007 Beltinge

The last three or so nights have hinted at a bit of immigration With Convolvulus Hawkmoth, 5 Delicate, 8 Silver Y, Pearly Underwing, Rusty Dot Pearl and a Clancy’s Rustic. (Barry H)

Sunday 23rd September 2007 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

Night of 22/9.An even worse night's moffing with numbers of Large Yellow Underwings also down. 50 L-album Wainscot at Pegwell is a site record and the 'best' moth, for which I'm really scraping the bottom of the barrel, was a Vapourer (F Solly)

Saturday 22nd September 2007 Kingsgate & Pegwell Traps

Another absolutely dire week's moffing, dominated by the Large Yellow Underwing - great fun! Very predictable all week with very little in the way of 'new' autumnal species appearing. The only thing of any note was a Red-green Carpet at Pegwell on 20/9 - a rather local species on Thanet. (F Solly)

Saturday 22nd September 2007 Newington Thanet

It's been extremely disappointing moth wise - and that's putting it mildly. I did get a half decent moth overnight - a Frosted Orange. It was a bit tatty unfortunately but it was a new moth for my garden so I shouldn't complain. The only other things of note otherwise were singles of Crocidesma plebejana and Eudonia pallida but that's clutching at straws if I'm honest. Migrants this past two weeks have been virtually non-existent. My monthly totals of migrants so far have been only 4 Silver Y's,1 Rush Veneer,12 Diamond Back's and 2 Rusty Dots and proper autumnal moths haven't been much better with only a handful of Lunar Underwings and Feathered ranunculus showing so far. I did take a third Red Underwing on the 11th and a Straw Dot on the 14th though most years these would hardly be worthy of mentioning. (Phil M)

Tuesday 18th September 2007 Dumpton Thanet

The only moth that was note worthy was a Tree-lichen Beauty (Cryphia algae) taken at light on the 17th September, the rest are the common moth for this time of year. (Gadget)

Friday 14th September 2007 Kingsgate & Pegwell Trap

Rather dull for moths over the last week, although for the benefit of TH it's still exciting! A little influx of immigrants on the 8th produced a Dark Sword-grass, 3 Pearly Underwings, Golden Twin-spot and 2 Rush Veneers at Pegwell but little else since. Still moderate numbers for Thanet particularly at Pegwell but mostly the trash Noctuids. Large Yellow Underwings, Setaceous Hebrew Characters, L-album Wainscots (up to 34) are all as to be expected common. White-points - up to 4 a night are presumably residents. Autumnal species have been slow to appear although Spruce Carpet, Black Rustic, Brindled Green, Lunar Underwing and Beaded Chestnut have all put in appearances. Feathered Ranunculus are only present in very small numbers - possibly due to the prolonged dry spell. Desperately looking forward to tomorrow's round - I don't know why but one has to remain positive apparently. (F Solly)

Sunday 9th September 2007 Newington Thanet

Good numbers of common stuff this week but little on the migrant/wanderer front. Overnight singles of Nephopterix angustella and Green Carpet the pick of the bunch. I've been virtualy unafected by the influx of Latticed Heath hitting the north side of Thanet - I did catch 4 on the night of the 5th and 1 - 2 every night thereafter. I did catch an extremely late and very fresh looking Mathew's Wainscot on the 5th otherwise I've had to make do with a few Old Ladies, and Purple Bar etc. Large Yellow Underwing number peaked at 90 the night before last - yuk! (Phil M)

Sunday 9th September 2007 Westgate Thanet

Over 400 moths again last night, with two new ones for the garden, Oak Nycteoline and Small Ranunculus, plus a Yellow Shell, Mullein Wave, Silver Y, 3 Copper Underwings, 2 Old Ladies and my first Common Marbled Carpet for a long time. Numbers included 5 Small Square-spots, 4 Light Emeralds, 8 L-album Wainscots, 149 Large Yellow Underwing, 48 Vine’s Rustics and 4 Dark Spectacles. I had nine of the latter a couple of nights ago, which is a lot for my garden. (Tim H)

Saturday 8th September 2007 Kingsgate & Pegwell

As with the others, lots of moths throughout the week but mostly the junk usual suspects with little in the way of autumnal species. Of note a Cydia amplana in the moth garden from hell (mine) on 6/9, a Convolvulus Hawk at Kingsgate on 7/9, the first Clancy's Rustic for some weeks at Pegwell on 6/9 and a Vestal there on 7/9. L-album Wainscots have also been a prominent feature at Pegwell with up to 27 but very scarce away from there. (F Solly)

Friday 7th September 2007 Beltinge

The past couple of weeks have seen my trap blown out more times than a windsock! Highlights have been few; the best bits include 2 Convolvulus Hawk Moths, 6 Dioryctria abietella and 1 Ebulea crocealis. An apparent influx of Latticed Heaths peaked at 81 on the 6th although this species is regular here; these numbers are very high, migrants perhaps. There was also a fresh Sitochroa palealis on the 6th a very late date for this species, and the odd Red Underwing and Old Lady etc. (Barry H)

Thursday 6th September 2007 Westgate Thanet

I’ve been catching quite a few moths recently, but most have been the usual suspects. There was an influx of Latticed Heaths last night, with 19 in my garden and Barry caught 48 in his trap on Herne Bay Downs. I also caught a Red Underwing and two Old Ladies last night. (Tim H)

Wednesday 5th September 2007 Newington Thanet

Very quiet since the start of the new month. Overnight - a dull catch brightened up by the second Red Underwing I've taken this past week. Recent highlights have been singles of Pretty Chalk Carpet and Common White Wave on the 2nd and a Yellow Belle on the night of the 3rd. Very few migrants - a handful of Diamond Back's and 2 Rusty Dots on the 2nd - I haven't caught a Silver Y in ages and I still haven't taken any Rush Veneers since last autumn! I did catch what I believe is a Dioryctria sylvestrella at the end of last month - a reasonably rare migrant Pyralid. (Phil M)

Saturday 1st September 2007 Westgate Thanet

Quite a few moths in my trap overnight, although a Dark Sword Grass was the only moderately interesting one. Can I take this opportunity of noting and welcoming the positive tone of Francis’s posting about his leaf miner? He too saw a moderately interesting moth. This is welcome news indeed. (Tim H)

Saturday 1st September 2007 St Lawrence Churchyard, R/gate

Is there a better way of starting the month than with a leaf miner? Probably but that's what you are going to get. This moderately interesting critter (note the positive slant), Acrolepia autumnitella was bred from a leaf-mine on Bittersweet collected from St Lawrence Churchyard, Ramsgate (F Solly)

Saturday 1st September 2007 Dumpton garden

As Mr Solly frequently bemoans - the year of 2007 has been "rubbish". So, in my defence, I have refrained from posting my garden moth reports because I am bored silly with the whole process of setting up, switching on, then switching off & emptying in the morning. However, recent nights have produced a few bits, including 2 Small Ranunculus (new for the garden) on 24th & 30th Aug, Lesser-spotted Pinion 29th Aug and Garden Dart 31st Aug. An Orange Sallow (31st Aug) provided a splash of colour amidst the regular dross of Large Yellow Underwing & Setaceous Hebrew Characters. (Dylan)