First up, the result from 3 x 125W MV traps operated at Gisborne's Gorse within Charnwood Lodge from dusk till dawn. The mild conditions with partial cloud cover and no rain were good, with most of the wood sheltered from the strong breeze that was in force in open areas. It was just about constant at 11°C from lighting up until first light this morning. The total catch was 1075 of 23sp. Not bad eh? The catch included 8 yearticks as indicated in the list.
0006 Eriocrania subpurpurella 4 (NFY)
0461 Ypsolopha ustella 1 (NFY)
0663 Diurnea fagella 31
1044x Acleris ferrugana/notana 4
1054 Acleris cristana 2
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 1
1775 Mottled Grey (Colostygia multistrigaria) 11 (NFY)
1852 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) 406 (NFY)
1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 8
1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 1
1947 Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata) 5
2139 Red Chestnut (Cerastis rubricosa) 5
2179 Pine Beauty (Panolis flammea) 2 (NFY)
2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 171
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 226
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 19
2189 Twin-spotted Quaker (Orthosia munda) 60
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 47
2236 Pale Pinion (Lithophane hepatica) 1 (NFY)
2237 Grey Shoulder-knot (Lithophane ornitopus lactipennis) 1 (NFY)
2256 Satellite (Eupsilia transversa) 5
2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 61
2423 Oak Nycteoline (Nycteola revayana) 3 (NFY)
Most numerous moth of the night - Brindled Pug
Mottled Grey - a species I've only ever seen at Charnwood Lodge
Pine Beauty - Ben's favourite .....
Pale Pinion - nowhere near as rare as it used to be
Grey Shoulder-knot - ditto the above
Red Chestnut - not sure why but this is a favourite of mine
Oak Nycteoline - another favourite
Once I got around to emptying the garden traps it highlighted how different the results can be when trapping in the garden versus trapping in prime habitat in the same general conditions. The garden is not sheltered from the wind, but was maybe a degree warmer. The total catch was pants - just 22 of 11sp. This did however include a couple of garden yearticks, including an Acleris hastiana. It was only last week that I mentioned to Adrian that I hadn't seen one in the garden for a few years (last one was 2006).
0663 Diurnea fagella 2 (NFY)
0688 Agonopterix heracliana 1
1053 Acleris hastiana 1 (NFY)
1054 Acleris cristana 1
1746 Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata) 1
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 1
1917 Early Thorn (Selenia dentaria) 2
2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 1
2188 Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta) 2
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 9
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1
Acleris hastiana
4 comments:
Yep, you are sure right about the Pine Beauty! grr well done.
....Not bad? Feckin' unbelievable if you ask me. Obviously the leaving on all night approach is key to high number/good variety. Also a good site helps.
I have a Honda 650 genny. It's quiet and refined but I'm just not sure it would last all night, even with a top up at about 10ish. Are the 2 stroke gens better for fuel ecconomy? as I'm not sure mine would run for 8 hours straight.
Yes Matt, the overnight running is definitely the best way. Aside from anything else, you don't loose half of the catch whilst trying to empty traps by MV light.
The cheapo 2-strokes are a bit variable, and I have been lucky I reckon. I have two; the oldest (yellow) one has served me well for a few years now and has run for up to 9 hours before, and I bought another last year as a back-up but that has not been left to run in the same way so not sure yet how long it will run for. Best thing is that they are not expensive to replace, or particularly desirable to thieves, so chaining up and leaving unattended is viable. In peak season when I am usually out all night, I have loaded this gennie up to the hilt with 5 x 125W MV traps or equivalent - the best bit if kit I ever bought!
Cheers Mark- very helpful. I did a little web searching earlier and found a gen very similar to yours for £68.00 including VAT and delivery!! Reading the spec, it seems that the 2 strokes are slightly louder, but to their advantage have a larger fuel tank (4.2ltr instead of my 1.9) which explains the difference. The books rekon mine will only run for 3 1/2 hours on a full tank.........Looks like I'm about to perpetuate the Chinese economy with an invaluable addition to my mothing arsenal. Thanks again.
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