Anyway, in a fit of enthusiasm I headed straight for the shed and pulled out the actinic/tungsten combo trap. I anticipated that it would remain empty, but was at least hopeful that an Early Moth would appear. A little later I had to nip out on Dad's Taxi duties, so I decided to leave out half an hour earlier and see what was flying down the local lanes. I envisaged having to use the wipers to remove the hoards of unseasonally abundant geometrids but was quickly deflated when I found virtually nothing - the only saving grace being a single Winter Moth.
When I got home, I became even more pessimistic about the garden trap potential when it started to piss it down. As if that wasn't bad enough, whilst looking out I heard a distinct pop as the garden suddenly dimmed - the tungsten bulb had blown leaving the 80W actinics to maintain guard.
Imagine then the beaming smile on my face when I checked about an hour ago and found 3 moths of 3 species! One of these was a sadly bedraggled Pale Brindled Beauty, but the other two were sheltered - photographed under the wrong indoor lighting but you get the gist ...
Red-green Carpet
Mottled Umber!!
Needless to say the trap is staying out! I may even be tempted out for some proper mothing tomorrow night if it stays mild and a bit dryer.
6 comments:
Mottle Umber for me. The apical corner too acute for Dotted Border (or Scarce Umber)
Definitely Mottled Umber - it hasn't got a dotted border, and it's not dark enough for the form of Dotted Border that doesn't have a dotted border (if you see what I mean!). Plus the wing shape looks more like Mottled umber.
Nice one Mark. I would say 100% Mottled Umber. It's a bit early for Dotted Border anyway.
Thanks all - looks even more obvious in daylight and I've also now checked the hindwing. Maybe I just couldn't believe my luck with a garden tick in January!
Hi Mark, RGC, WTF! That must be unusual in January surely. Last night on my way home at 11.30pm I had 36 Winter Moths (probably) in the car lights in the mile before home.
I put the trap on tonight and before the MV had heated up properly a Mottled Umber came along the drive and landed on it! Looks mild for tomorrow too...
To be honest Stewart - ANY moth in January is unusual for me / my garden! As it happens there was nothing else last night after posting.
Just been out to some woodland but it is a little cooler and breezy tonight with clear skies - just 5 of 2 species, all on tree trunks which I'll post about later.
Another VC55 mother was out during the week and picked up a Red-green Carpet amongst the catch - the females overwinter in hibernation so I guess they are as likely to come round in unseasonally mild weather as Chestnuts, Satellites etc.
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