296 / 296 +3

The garden traps have been very busy over the last couple of nights. Very busy illuminating the garden, consuming power, gradually decreasing the bulb life and attracting virtually feck all moths! Despite the appalling catches for the time of year, I still managed a garden tick although it took a while to register. I thought it was a long while since I'd last seen this species in the garden, but when I checked my MapMate records I discovered I'd never recorded it here before.

Pseudoswammerdamia combinella

This brings the garden list up to 592 species (296 macros, 296 micros) with 3 additional micros pending gen det - Acleris notana/ferrugana, Acleris logiana, Acleris schalleriana. So, highly likely that the garden micro list will top 300 this year - would be great if the total garden list could top 600 as well.

Aside from this highlight, just one yeartick added with a Brindled Beauty last night.

13/04/2011
3 of 2sp.
(125W MV 2 of 1, 160W blended 1 of 1)
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 2
2243 Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) 1

14/04/2011
8 of 4sp.
(125W MV 3 of 2, 160W blended 5 of 3)
0436 Pseudoswammerdamia combinella 1 (NFG)
1862 Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) 2
1927 Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria) 1 (NFY)
2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 4

The Emperors I reared last year have been gradually emerging over the week, hopefully more opportunities to try assembling over the weekend. One or two males have also emerged (I carefully separated the small and large larvae and, so far, they have correspondingly emerged as males and females).