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Upper Thames Branch Moth Sightings Archive - January to June 2007

On Friday 29th June Dave Wilton carried out his transect in Finemere Wood and in the evening ran his overnight moth trap in his Westcott garden: "Moths seen in Finemere Wood were Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet (3), Clouded Border (2), Marbled White Spot (1) and Silver Y (1). My garden Robinson trap produced my first reasonable catch for a week or two, with more than 400 moths from about 80 species ending up in the trap. Best of the bunch were Lappet and Scarce Silver-lines, with Scarce Footman, Clay, Smoky Wainscot, Olive, Pleuroptya ruralis/Mother of Pearl and Phycitodes binaevella also new for my garden year list. The following evening a Blackneck came to our kitchen window light."

Phycitodes binaevella Scarce Silver-lines Blackneck Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

~ Thursday 28th June 2007 ~

Dave Wilton sent this moth report on 27th June: "On 26th June I was foolish enough to run my actinic trap at Westcott even though the temperature fell to 8 degrees Celsius overnight. The result was a pitiful catch of 64 moths from 17 species. Compare that to the same day last year when I got 800 moths in the Robinson! The poor weather of the past few days seems to have had a drastic effect on catches all across the country although last night did produce one new species for me, the Short-cloaked Moth. Looking on the bright side, thanks to Peter Hall and his microscope I do now have a few additions to the UTB list from back in April: Dichrorampha acuminatana, Elachista canapennella, Dipleurina lacustrata, Eudonia truncicolella and Parornix anglicella were all trapped in my garden, Rhopobota stagnana (B&F 1161, formerly Griselda stagnana) was found in the disused railway cutting west of Westcott Airfield and Pammene argyrana was caught in Rushbeds Wood." Also, while doing a butterfly transect in Finemere Wood on 20th June, Dave kicked up a Crambus perlella from the grass.

Crambus perlella Photo © Dave Wilton Wendy & Mick Campbell visited Sydlings Copse on Tuesday 26th June looking for butterflies and found an Emperor Moth caterpillar and the longhorn micro Nemophora cupriacella.

Emperor Moth caterpillar Nemophora cupriacella Photo © Wendy Campbell Photo © Wendy Campbell

Trevor Lawson glanced out of his office window in Hyde Heath, Bucks, on 25th June and spotted what was almost certainly a Hummingbird Hawk-moth hovering by and feeding on the catnip flowers. He dashed out to confirm it, but it had already gone.

Jan Haseler reported the following day-flying moths: On 19th June at Bearwood College - Ringed China-marks and on 24th June, Tilehurst - Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

Adam Bassett ran his moth trap in his Marlow Bottom (Bucks) garden on 22nd June: "Mottled Beauty was most evident with 10 records, but hot on the heels of last week's Great Oak Beauty, which was a new garden tick, another one appeared (underside forewing checked) - and they do look big. Two photos to show both specimens are below. The full list was: Small Magpie,Bee Moth, Maiden's Blush,Clay Triple-lines,Treble Brown Spot,Riband Wave,Phoenix, July Highflyer,Brimstone Moth,Swallow-tailed Moth, Peppered Moth,Willow Beauty,Mottled Beauty,Great Oak Beauty,Engrailed,Common White Wave, Clouded Silver,Light Emerald,Poplar Hawk-moth,Buff-tip,Buff Ermine,Heart & Club, Heart & Dart,Large Yellow Underwing,Shears,Bright-line Brown-eye,Dark Arches,Uncertain, Spectacle,Snout,Fan-foot and Acleris boscana. [Note 06/07/07: A.boscana has been renamed A. kockiella.]

Great Oak Beauty Great Oak Beauty Photo © Adam Bassett Photo © Adam Bassett

~ Monday 25th June 2007 ~

Dave Wilton sent the following report on 24th June: "Here are a few more moth species I've trapped recently which are either additional to or update the UTB list: Blastodacna hellerella (Westcott, 18th June); Spinach (Westcott, 20th June); Lunar-spotted Pinion, Clouded Brindle, Choreutis pariana/Apple Leaf Skeletonizer, Udea prunalis, Orthopygia glaucinalis (all Westcott, 22nd June); Drinker, Small Fan-footed Wave, Minor Shoulder- knot, Teleiodes luculella, Archips crataegana/Brown Oak Tortrix, Conobathra repandana (all Finemere Wood, 23rd June)."

On Saturday 23rd June at Moor Copse, Martin & Dee Raper saw Scarlet Tiger moths(4) and Silver Y(1).

David Redhead reports that they had their first Scarlet Tiger moth flying in their Oxford garden on Friday afternoon, 22nd June. Also, on Wednesday 20th he saw his first Six-spot Burnets at the M40 Compensation Area.

Dave Maunder recorded his first Old Lady moth of the year on 22nd June: "A few other moths seen recently around Aylesbury were:- Bee moth (1), Emmelina monodactyla (1), Small Magpie (1), Common Swift (2), Common Emerald (1)."

Maureen Cross saw a Scarlet Tiger moth in her neighbour's garden in Streatley on 21st June.

Alastair Driver has been running regular moth traps at his home in Sonning: "New for my yearlist have been: 13th June - Robinson Trap - Clouded Brindle (a new site record), Bright-line Brown-eye, Lesser Treble-bar, Uncertain and Heart and Club. 19th June - indoors - Broad-barred White, Swallow-tailed Moth. 20th June - Robinson trap - Dun-bar, Herald, Endotricha flammealis, Lozotaeniodes formosanus. 21st June - Robinson Trap - Eyed Hawk-moth, Silver-y."

Peter Hall ran his MV light trap in his Ballinger Common garden on 20th June and caught the following 76 moth species: Macros: Clay Triple-lines,Treble Brown Spot,Riband Wave,Common Marbled Carpet, Barred Yellow,Double-striped Pug,Small White Wave,Scorched Wing,Brimstone Moth, Peppered,Mottled Beauty,Pale Oak Beauty,Clouded Silver,Light Emerald,Privet Hawk, Pine Hawk,Lime Hawk,Elephant Hawk,Buff-tip,Lobster,Scarce Footman,Common Footman,Buff Ermine, Turnip,Heart & Club,Heart & Dart,Flame,Large Yellow Underwing,Ingrailed Clay, Purple Clay,Setaceous Hebrew Character,Double Square-spot,Green Arches,Grey Arches, Bright-line Brown- eye,Delicate,Smoky Wainscot,Common Wainscot,Small Angle Shades, Dark Arches,Clouded Brindle,Large Nutmeg,Middle-barred Minor, Treble Lines,Uncertain,Pale Mottled Willow,Marbled White Spot,Burnished Brass,Silver Y, Beautiful Golden Y,Spectacle,Beautiful Hook-tip,Straw Dot,Snout and Fan-foot. Micros: Nematopogon swammerdamella,Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back),Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Brown House),Agapeta hamana,Pandemis cerasana (Barred Fruit-tree Tortrix), Archips podana (Large Fruit-tree Tortrix),Archips xylosteana (Variegated Golden Tortrix), Lozotaenia forsterana,Ditula angustiorana (Red-barred Tortrix),Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Aleimma loeflingiana,Tortrix viridana (Green Oak Tortrix),Celypha striana,Celypha lacunana, Epiblema uddmanniana (Bramble Shoot),Chrysoteuchia culmella,Crambus pascuella, Crambus lathoniellus,Eurrhypara hortulata (Small Magpie),Udea olivalis and Aphomia sociella (Bee).

Lime Hawk-moth Pine Hawk-moth Privet Hawk-moth Photo © Peter Hall Photo © Peter Hall Photo © Peter Hall

~ Thursday 21st June 2007 ~

David Redhead sent this update on his latest moth sightings: 17th June - An expedition to the Bletchingdon area produced Cinnabar (2) and a single Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet. On 19th June he went to various sites in and around Oxford and recorded 26 Narrow- bordered Five-spot Burnet moths plus a Cinnabar, Shaded Broad-bar and Blood-vein.

Dave Wilton's visit to Woodsides Meadow (BBOWT) near Wendlebury, Oxon on 19th June produced small numbers of both Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet and Six-spot Burnet. Other moths disturbed from the vegetation included Blood-vein, Barred Straw, Yellow Shell and a very tired-looking Burnet Companion.

On 18th June Dave Ferguson saw 3+ Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnets at Hedgerley Spoil Heap.

19th June - Peter Hall sent the results of two moth traps in his Ballinger garden: On 1st June he recorded 45 moth species, of which 3 are additions to the UTB Species List: Tawny Marbled Minor, Ditula angustiorana and Olindia schumacherana. On 18th June he recorded 62 species of which Coleophora mayrella was new to the UTB list.

Nigel Partridge sent the following records from his recent Loosley Row garden moth traps: An additional species from 17-06-07 - Agapeta zoegana; Scallop Shell on 18-06-07; Phlyctaenia coronata, 19-06-07 and Endotricha flammealis, 20-06-07.

Agapeta zoegana Scallop Shell Photo © Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge

Phlyctaenia coronata Endotricha flammealis Photo © Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge

Adam Bassett sent some moth records from 1st, 2nd, 9th and 15th June trapping in his Marlow Bottom, Bucks, garden: "Nothing unusual apart from a Great Oak Beauty on June 15th, which is new for the garden list (confirmed with County Recorders). Common Swift,Green Oak Tortrix,Garden Pebble, Small Magpie,Udea Olivalis,Bee Moth,Pebble Hook-tip,Peach Blossom,Mocha,Maiden's Blush, Clay Triple-lines,Small Blood- vein,Treble Brown Spot,Riband Wave,Flame Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet,Garden Carpet,Common Marbled Carpet,Barred Yellow,Green Carpet, Small Waved Umber,Pretty Chalk Carpet,Mottled Pug,Green Pug,Small White Wave, Yellow-barred Brindle,Scorched Carpet,Scorched Wing,Brimstone Moth, Lilac Beauty,Peppered Moth,Willow Beauty,Mottled Beauty, Great Oak Beauty,Pale Oak Beauty,Square Spot,Common White Wave,White-pinion Spotted, Light Emerald,Privet Hawk-moth,Small Elephant Hawk- moth,Buff-tip,Lobster Moth,Orange Footman, White Ermine,Buff Ermine,Heart & Dart,Large Yellow Underwing,Ingrailed Clay,Shears, Light Brocade,Coronet,Brown Rustic,Dark Arches,Treble Lines,Uncertain,Vine's Rustic, Green Silver-lines,Nut-tree Tussock,Beautiful Hook-tip,Snout and Small Fan-foot."

The following is a list of moths recorded by Dave Maunder since his last report of 21st May: "On 25-05-07 I ran my garden m.v. trap in Aylesbury and caught Pale Tussock (2), Large Nutmeg (3), Rustic Shoulder-knot (2), Heart and Dart (5), Shuttle-shaped Dart (1), Treble Lines (2), Marbled Minor agg.(8), Large Yellow Underwing (1), Snout (1), Small Magpie (1), and Archips podana (1). Other species seen elsewhere were:- Pale Tussock (female - 1), Burnet Companion (1), Shuttle-shaped Dart (1), Willow Beauty (2), Mottled Beauty (1), Lime Hawk-moth (female, 1), Small Dusty Wave (2), Treble Brown Spot (1), Large Yellow Underwing (3), Rustic Shoulder-knot (1), Heart and Dart (1), Bee Moth (1), Small Magpie (3), Mullein Moth larvae (4) - feeding on buddleia in my garden and a Knot Grass larva on bramble in Wendover Woods. I've also attached a photo of young Gypsy moth larvae I found changing skin."

Mullein Moth larva feeding on buddleia Knot Grass larva Gypsy Moth larvae Photo © Dave Maunder Photo © Dave Maunder Photo © Dave Maunder

~ Tuesday 19th June 2007 ~

On 14th June at Westcott, Dave Wilton's 125wt MV pulled in its biggest haul to date: "I had just short of 700 moths from 90+ species. The Heart and Dart alone provided a third of that total with 225 recorded. Confirmed additions to my garden year list include Common Emerald, Barred Straw, Double Dart, Dark/Grey Dagger, Pale-shouldered Brocade, Dusky Brocade, Uncertain, Fan-foot and Caloptilia stigmatella. Two days later on 16th June a much reduced catch using the actinic trap brought me Lackey, Cinnabar, Sycamore and Aleimma loeflingiana."

Nigel Partridge says that despite the rain this new moth species arrived in his Loosley Row moth trap on 17th June: Large Twin-spot Carpet. He also sent a photo of the Little Emerald previously reported.

Large Twin-spot Carpet Little Emerald Photo © Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge Jan Haseler led a moth trapping session at Lardon Chase on Friday 15th June. A full report of the joint Berkshire Moth Group / Upper Thames Butterfly Conservation event can be seen by clicking here. Additions to the UTB 2007 Species List were: Agapeta zoegana, Apotomis turbidana, Birds Wing, Bordered Sallow, Crambus perlella, Dark Umber, Delicate, Ethmia dodecea, Fern, Ghost Moth, Grey Arches, Marbled Beauty, Pempeliella dilutella, Purple Clay, Pyrausta despicata and Scarce Footman. A few additional moths identified since the event are: Hedya nubiferana, Trachycera marmorea and Rustic Shoulder-knot.

David Redhead sent this news for 16th June: "Dog walks on the rough grassland above my house in Oxford have produced several Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moths. Also a couple of Yellow Shell, although one this morning turned into a Barred Yellow when it settled under a hawthorn leaf - I thought its flight was somewhat different which was why I went in for a close-up check."

Mark Calway sent these records from Maiden Erlegh, Berkshire, from a moth trap on Thursday 14/06/2007: The Berkshire Moth Group's regular meeting recorded the following from a single 125W Skinner trap and a half-hour walk around the reserve at the beginning of the meeting. Stigmella aurella, Psyche casta, Anthophila fabriciana, Prays fraxinella (Ash Bud Moth), Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back Moth), Batia unitella, Blastobasis lacticolella (formerly B.decolorella), Agapeta hamana, Archips podana (Large Fruit-tree Tortrix), Archips xylosteana (Variegated Golden Tortrix), Epiphyas postvittana (Light Brown Apple Moth), Lozotaenia forsterana, Aleimma loeflingiana, Celypha striana, Celypha lacunana, Eucosma cana, Lathronympha strigana, Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass- veneer), Crambus pascuella, Acentria ephemerella (Water Veneer), Pyrausta aurata, Eurrhypara hortulata (Small Magpie), Udea olivalis, Aphomia sociella (Bee Moth), Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, Emmelina monodactyla, Common Swift, Common Emerald, Blood-vein, Small Blood-vein, Small Dusty Wave, Treble Brown Spot, Riband Wave, Yellow Shell, Common Marbled Carpet, Barred Yellow, Foxglove Pug, Green Pug, Brimstone Moth, Swallow-tailed Moth, Peppered Moth, Willow Beauty, Mottled Beauty, Engrailed, Common White Wave, Clouded Silver, Light Emerald, Eyed Hawk-moth, Elephant Hawk-moth, Pale Prominent, Vapourer, Buff Footman, Buff Ermine, Heart and Club, Heart and Dart, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing, Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Smoky Wainscot, Coronet, Dingy Shears, Dark Arches, Oak Nycteoline, Burnished Brass, Spectacle, Beautiful Hook-tip, Straw Dot, Snout and Small Fan-foot.

~ Sunday 17th June 2007 ~

During a visit to Sydlings Copse on 16th June Dave Ferguson saw two Silver-Y moths.

Mark Calway sent the following photos of a Hornet Moth seen at Kings Meadow on 8th June.

Hornet Moth Hornet Moth Photo © Mark Calway Photo © Mark Calway Peter Hall sent this updated chart showing the UTB Cumulative Moth Species Totals and is wondering if June will see the totals equal out with 2006 after an early start? 389 was the 2006 end of June total.

UTB Cumulative Moth Species Totals Chart courtesy of Peter Hall

Dave Wilton ran three moth traps recently, two in his Westcott garden and another in Finemere Wood: "On 10th June I had another good catch to the MV in my garden at Westcott: Common Swift (3), Buff Arches (1), Figure of Eighty (2), Blood-vein (3), Small Dusty Wave (1), Silver-ground Carpet (1), Common Carpet (1), Yellow Shell (1), Currant Pug (1), Clouded Border (1), Scorched Wing (1), Brimstone Moth (3), Peppered Moth (2), Mottled Beauty (6), Clouded Silver (2), Eyed Hawk-moth (2), Small Elephant Hawk-moth (5), Swallow Prominent (1), Pale Prominent (1), Buff-tip (1), White Ermine (1), Buff Ermine (8), Heart and Club (2), Heart and Dart (142), Flame (8), Flame Shoulder (5), Large Yellow Underwing (2), Small Square-spot (2), Setaceous Hebrew Character (6), Shears (7), Light Brocade (1), Bright-line Brown-eye (4), Common Wainscot (12), Shoulder-striped Wainscot (8), Poplar Grey (2), Brown Rustic (8), Dark Arches (2), Light Arches (1), Large Nutmeg (4), Rustic Shoulder-knot (6), Marbled Minor sp (65), Middle-barred Minor (5), Common/Lesser Common Rustic (1), Small Dotted Buff (1), Treble Lines (20), Vine's Rustic (2), Mottled Rustic (3), Burnished Brass (1), Spectacle (2), Straw Dot (6) and Snout (2). The micros included Agapeta hamana (1), Archips podana/Large Fruit-tree Tortrix (3), Pseudargyrotoza conwagana (1), Tortrix viridana/Green Oak Tortrix (1), Celypha lacunana (6), Hedya pruniana/Plum Tortrix (4), Hedya nubiferana/Marbled Orchard Tortrix (1), Chrysoteuchia culmella (2), Crambus lathoniellus (1), Evergestis forficalis/Garden Pebble (1), Opsibotys fuscalis (2), Udea olivalis (12), Aphomia sociella/Bee Moth (1), Dioryctria abietella (1), Myelois circumvoluta/Thistle Ermine (1) and Nephopterix angustella (1). On 12th June I ran the actinic trap in the garden and additional species brought in were: Peach Blossom, Common Marbled Carpet, Barred Yellow, Lime-speck Pug, Light Emerald, Elephant Hawk-moth, Common Footman, Plain Golden Y, Beautiful Hook-tip, Elophila nymphaeata/Brown China-mark, Parapoynx stratiotata/Ringed China-mark, Eurrhypara hortulata/Small Magpie, Phlyctaenia perlucidalis and Hypsopygia costalis/Gold Triangle. On 13th June two hours in the drizzle at Finemere Wood produced a reasonable catch with one star item, a very handsome Lappet. Other species new to me this year were Blotched Emerald, Common Emerald, Small Seraphim, Orange Moth, Lobster Moth, Marbled White-spot, Green Silver-lines, Small Fan-foot and Epiblema uddmanniana/Bramble Shoot Moth. I thought I'd trapped a giant species of Carpet as well but in the light of day it turned out to be a Mottled Beauty of the form conversaria. The most numerous moth by far was Tortrix viridana/Green Oak Tortrix, with over 60 entering the trap. Unfortunately a similar number must have been consumed by several bats orbiting overhead as every few minutes some little green wings would come raining down from the sky above! Three pictures from Finemere are below."

Lappet Mottled Beauty f. conversaria Orange Moth Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

Nigel Partridge has reported the following moths in his Loosley Row garden in the last few days: "Lozotaenia forsterana on 10-06-07, Tinea semifulvella on 12-06-07 and a Little Emerald on 13-06-07. Also, could you please add Yellow Shell for me on the 'Day-flying Moths Challenge'. We've just discovered a small colony of 4-5 in one corner of the garden."

Lozotaenia forsterana Tinea semifulvella Photo © Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge

~ Thursday 14th June 2007 ~

Jan Haseler sent the following reports on 12th June: "Seen by day at Moor Copse on Sunday 10th June: 1 Scarlet Tiger, 4 Narrow-bordered 5-Spot Burnets. In my Tilehurst trap on Saturday 9th June: 3 Scarlet Tigers, Lyonetia clerkella (Apple Leaf Miner), 4 Diamond- back Moths, Lozotaenia Forsterana, Green Oak Tortrix, Water Veneer, Phoenix, Small Angle Shades, Fan-foot, etc."

On 11th June, May Webber sent a list of species seen at the weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday nights): Green Pug, Lobster Moth, White Ermine, Buff Ermine, Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Scorched Wing, Treble Lines, Common Wainscot, Heart and Dart, Burnished Brass, The Flame, Flame Shoulder, Lunar Marbled Brown, Small Magpie, Large Yellow Underwing, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Beautiful Hook-tip, Bordered Pug, Spectacle Moth, Blood Vein, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Coronet, Straw Dot, Figure of Eighty, Sallow Kitten, Willow Beauty, Heart and Club, Marbled Minor agg (probable Tawny), Marbled Minor, Common Emerald, Water Carpet, Garden Carpet, Brown-Silver Line.

11th June - Alastair Driver reports having a couple of good trapping sessions at home in Sonning last week: "I caught firsts of the year for me of Common Swift, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Middle-barred Minor, Riband Wave and Pandemis cerasana (Barred fruit-tree Tortrix) on 7th June, and then on the 8th June I caught 25 macro species including two beautiful species new to my parish list - Beautiful Hook-tip and Blotched Emerald. Clouded Silver and the micro Pyrausta aurata were both new for my yearlist."

Beautiful Hook-tip Blotched Emerald Pyrausta aurata Photo © Alastair Driver Photo © Alastair Driver Photo © Alastair Driver

David Redhead ran his moth trap again on 10th June: "The content was much the same as the last two but four "new" macros for my garden year list - Mottled Rustic, Peach Blossom, Uncertain and Tawny Marbled Minor agg. Another "new" micro for all time garden list - Ostrinia nubilalis (European Corn-borer) - which might be an addition to the UTB year list.

~ Tuesday 12th June 2007 ~

David Redhead's garden moth trap in Oxford on 10th June produced his best haul of moths to date this year: "120 individual moths, but the variety was largely unchanged from the previous one. However it did contain my first Common Wainscot and Buff Arches for 2007 and added a micro-moth, Ebulea crocealis, to my all time list. Also today I saw my first Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet of the year on the rough grassland by my house."

On 10th June Gerry Kendall sent the following: "In my garden in South Oxford at the moment it is hard to look up in the evening and not see a Scarlet Tiger on the wing. I don't remember it being like this in previous years!"

Scarlet Tiger Photo © Gerry Kendall

Tom Stevenson sent this news on 10th June: "A neighbour of mine here in Benson delivered this beauty to me, found in her garden. I don't recollect ever having seen a Puss Moth before. I attach a photo of the moth and eggs."

Puss Moth Photo © Tom Stevenson 10th June - Les Finch says activity has been quite brisk in the last few days, with several additions to his year list: "Since my last report, visitors to the garden traps (Maidenhead) have included Common Swift(3), Leopard Moth(1 on 9th), Figure of Eighty(1 on 8th), Small Blood-vein(4), Small Dusty Wave(2), Treble Brown Spot(8), Riband Wave(from 4th), Barred Yellow(2), Freyer’s Pug(2), Peppered Moth(2), Small Elephant Hawk-moth(3), Buff-tip(3), Iron Prominent(1 on 9th), Maple Prominent(1 on 6th), Orange Footman(1 on 9th), Buff Ermine(1 on 5th), Cinnabar(2), Heart and Dart(372 from 4th to 9th), Flame(2 on 9th), Light Brocade(2), Varied Coronet(4), Lychnis(1 on 7th), Sycamore(1 on 9th), Angle Shades(1 on 6th), and Silver Y(2)."

Barred Yellow Leopard Moth Varied Coronet Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch

Shirley & John Spencer sent the following report on 9th June: "First of all the day-flying moths:- May 25 - The Marshes Reserve, Riseley - Mother Shipton, Cinnabar; May 29 - Disturbed in the garden - Yellow Shell June 5 - We identified the following species in our garden light box:- Beautiful Hook-Tip, Brown Rustic, Treble Lines, Common Wainscot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Buff Ermine, White Ermine, Heart and Dart, Poplar Grey, Burnished Brass, Dark Arches, Peppered Moth, Large Yellow Underwing, Flame, Shuttle-shaped Dart."

Keith Mitchell reported a few more moths than of late, from his garden in Stoke Goldington 24th and 25th May: "Angle Shades, Brown Rustic, Buff Ermine(3), Burnished Brass, Common Swift(8), Common Wainscot(3), Eyed Hawk-moth, The Flame, Grey Pine Carpet, Heart and Dart(13), Large Nutmeg(14), Lime Hawk-moth, Middle-barred Minor(4), Mottled Pug, Pale Tussock(3), Rustic Shoulder-knot, Setaceous Hebrew Character(4), Shuttle-shaped Dart, Silver-ground Carpet, Small Square-spot(10), Small Waved Umber, Thistle Ermine, Treble Lines(13), White Ermine(3).

This Friday and Saturday (8th, 9th June) were a bit disappointing, with only the following being recorded: Buff Ermine(2), Buff-tip(2), Burnished Brass, Common Swift(2), Common Wainscot,(2), Elephant Hawk-moth, Green Carpet, Heart and Dart(9), Large Nutmeg(31), Lychnis, Middle-barred Minor, Pale Prominent, Setaceous Hebrew Character(2), Treble Lines(8), Udea Olivalis, White Ermine(5)."

Lychnis Photo © Keith Mitchell

~ Friday 8th June 2007 ~

David Redhead ran an overnight garden moth trap (in Oxford) last night, 7th June: "Not too exciting but new to my year list were Common Marbled Carpet, Flame, Mottled Pug, Pale Mottled Willow, Riband Wave, Silver-Y, Small Fan-foot, Small Phoenix and White Ermine. I think the only possibility for an addition to the UTB list is Riband Wave and the Silver-Y goes onto my day-flying list."

Dave Wilton ran his actinic trap in his garden at Westcott on 4th June and his MV on 7th June: "A fairly mediocre collection of moths came to the trap on 4th June but Buff Arches, Mottled Beauty and Elephant Hawk-moth were recorded as new for the year. Using the MV on 7th June it was a different kettle of fish, with 352 moths of 72 species being trapped. They included Peach Blossom, Riband Wave, Light Emerald, Light Arches, Dusky Brocade and micros Blastobasis lacticolella, Agapeta hamana, Evergestis forficalis/Garden Pebble, Aphomia sociella/Bee Moth and Euzophera pinguis which were all new for the year. I've included a picture of the Peach Blossom, despite my visitor being a little the worse for wear. It is a lovely moth and its annual appearances here are very welcome."

Peach Blossom Photo © Dave Wilton

Mark Calway ran 2 traps near to his home in Earley, Reading, on Thursday evening, 7/6/07: "This little beauty came to light on in Shinfield Park, Berkshire. It is called Alabonia geoffrella. Also, I noticed that someone had reported the brown form of the Lime Hawk-moth. Here is a photo of both forms for comparison. The full list of moths taken is: Snout 4, Beautiful Hook-tip 1, Treble Lines 1, Dark Arches 11, Setaceous Hebrew Character 1, Ingrailed Clay 1, Large Yellow Underwing 11, Flame Shoulder 1, Flame 1, Shuttle-shaped Dart 1, Heart and Dart 12, Marbled Brown 1, Maple Prominent 1, Buff-tip 1, Elephant Hawk-moth 1, Lime Hawk-moth 2, Light Emerald 1, Peppered Moth 4, Brimstone Moth 2, Scorched Carpet 1, Yellow-barred Brindle 1, Small White Wave 1, Green Pug 4, Common Marbled Carpet 1, Treble Brown Spot 1, Maiden's Blush 5, Blotched Emerald 4, Figure of Eighty 5, Bee Moth 1, Udea olivalis 1, Common Swift 4, Chrysoteuchia culmella (Garden Grass-veneer) 3, Celypha lacunana 2, Tortrix viridana (Green Oak Tortrix) 29, Pseudargyrotoza conwagana 5, Archips podana (Large Fruit-tree Tortrix) 1, Agapeta hamana 12, Alabonia geoffrella 1 and Plutella xylostella (Diamond- back Moth) 1."

Common & brown forms of the Alabonia geoffrella Lime Hawk-moth Photo © Mark Calway Photo © Mark Calway

Nigel Partridge recorded the following: On 6th June at Loosley Row - Small Blood-Vein.

Small Blood-Vein Photo © Nigel Partridge

Dave Wilton visited the disused railway line near Salden Wood on 5th June and recorded the following moths: Yellow Shell, Treble-bar sp., Chimney Sweeper, Latticed Heath, Common Heath, Cinnabar, Small Yellow Underwing, Mother Shipton, Burnet Companion, Timothy Tortrix/Aphelia paleana and Plum Tortrix/Hedya pruniana as well as several Mullein Moth caterpillars. Also, on a hedgerow adjacent to Leckhampstead Wood he saw Adela croesella.

On 5th June David Redhead visited a number of Oxfordshire sites. During the day he recorded Cinnabar, Yellow Shell, Mother Shipton and Burnet Companion.

~ Wednesday 6th June 2007 ~

Thomas Merckx forwarded this exciting news yesterday: "On the 4th June farmer Robert Florey from Northmoor (Oxon) contacted me telling me he caught a Death’s Head Hawk-moth that had managed to fly into his bedroom. Simply an amazing moth species (see photo below)!

Death’s Head Hawk-moth Photo © Thomas Merckx I also discovered two nests of Small Eggar caterpillars on trimmed hedgerows, one in Combe (Oxon) on 21st of May, and the other in Hailey (Witney, Oxon) on the 4th of June."

May Webber sent the following record today: "I saw a Lime Hawk-moth f.brunnea (it was brown and had the exact same markings). I found it on a tree in my garden near Witney, Oxon, on 5th June."

Dave Wilton sent this update on 4th June: "Since my last moth report from Westcott I've continued to add a few new species to my garden list for the year even though I had a week off trapping in that awful weather at the end of May. New to my garden list for the year have been Flame Carpet, Yellow Shell, Currant Pug, Brown Silver-line, Buff-tip, Large Yellow Underwing, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Burnished Brass and Snout, while micros have included Sitochroa verticalis and Meal Moth/Pyralis farinalis."

Les Finch sent the following news on 4th June: "In company with my son and Bernard Clark, we visited again a small piece of local (Maidenhead) woodland on 2nd June, where we operated two MV lights. A respectable 55 macro species were noted, the log comprising Common Swift(15), Oak Hook-tip(1), Blotched Emerald(1), Mocha(4), Maiden’s Blush(1), Treble Brown Spot(3), Silver-ground Carpet(2), Garden Carpet(2), Yellow Shell(1), Green Carpet(6), Small Waved Umber(1), Mottled Pug(2), Common Pug(1), Small White Wave(2), Scorched Carpet(4), Scorched Wing(7), Brimstone Moth(2), Peppered Moth(2), Willow Beauty(11), Mottled Beauty(2), Pale Oak Beauty(2), Common White Wave(2), White-pinion Spotted(3), Light Emerald(4), Lime Hawk-moth(2), Poplar Hawk-moth(1), Lobster Moth(1), Maple Prominent(1), Pale Prominent(1), Pale Tussock(4), Orange Footman(6), White Ermine(4), Buff Ermine(1), Cinnabar(3), Heart and Dart(5), Shuttle-shaped Dart(1), Flame Shoulder(1), Large Yellow Underwing(2), Ingrailed Clay(1), Setaceous Hebrew Character(4), Shears(19), Light Brocade(1), Common Wainscot(7), Sycamore(1), Coronet(1), Reddish Light Arches(3), Dusky Brocade(1), Large Nutmeg(1), Marbled Minor agg.(10), Middle-barred Minor(4), Treble Lines(16), Uncertain(1), Vine’s Rustic(2), Silver Y(1) and Small Fan-foot(2). After a number of dismal garden (Maidenhead) sessions towards the end of May, the first few days of June have been more promising. The actinics have collected a typical range of species including (as firsts for the garden this year) Treble Brown Spot (2nd), Buff-tip (3rd), Small Square-spot (2nd), Dark Arches (3rd), Large Nutmeg (3rd) and Straw Dot (3rd)."

~ Tuesday 5th June 2007 ~

On 4th June Dave Wilton was in the Greatmoor area and found the following: "A lone Forester and two of those smart red and blue torts, Commophila aeneana. There were also several newly-emerged Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnets flying around in the same area."

Alastair Driver had a couple of decent nights' trapping at home in Sonning recently: "31st May brought firsts of the year for me for Light Brocade, Shears, Green Pug, Common White Wave and Common Wave and the latter was also a new garden record. New for my yearlist on 1st June were Snout, Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Dark Arches, Sandy Carpet, Lime-speck Pug, Buff Ermine, White Ermine, Straw Dot, Small Square-spot and Small Seraphim and the latter was also a new garden record."

Jan Haseler sent the following on 3rd June: "Day-flying moths on the BBOWT/Reading Natural History Society field trip to Aston Upthorpe today included: Sandy Carpet, Scoparia pyralella, 6-Spot Burnet, Cinnabar, Shears, Thistle Ermine and Yellow Shell. Species in my Tilehurst trap on 2/6 included: Reddish Light Arches, Large Fruit-tree Tortrix, Dipleurina lacustrata, Barred Yellow and Grey Pug." Tim & Colleen Watts went to Lapland Farm meadows on 3rd June: "We saw 9 Forester Moths next to the path in the meadow nearest the garden centre. Also seen were Six-spot Burnet(1), Mother Shipton (2) and Green Oak Tortrix (1)."

Forester Forester Green Oak Tortrix Photo © Tim Watts Photo © Tim Watts Photo © Tim Watts

Dave Ferguson sent in an addtion to his dayflying moth list on 3rd June: "A rather worn Forester in Bernwood Meadows this afternoon."

Mark Calway sent this report on 3rd June: "Here are some moths I've encountered recently during daylight hours. The Adaina microdactyla look likes a miniature version of the White Plume moth. A colony has established itself in my garden on Hemp Agrimony. Treble Brown Spot Shinfield Park 31-May-07; Burnet Companion Pearmans Copse (Woodhenge) 01-Jun-07; Yellow Shell Pearmans Copse (Woodhenge) 01-Jun-07; Heart and Dart Earley 02-Jun-07 disturbed while gardening; Silver-Y Earley 02-Jun-07 feeding on Red Valerian late afternoon; Yellow Shell Earley 02-Jun-07 disturbed while gardening and Adaina microdactyla Earley 02-Jun-07 seen flying early evening. The Silver-Y arrived with a Red Admiral and what was probably a Rush Veneer, leading me to suspect a recent immigration from the continent."

David Redhead sent these updates on 4th June: "Thursday 31st May. My dog flushed out a Shaded Broad-bar from the rough grassland above my house. This seems extraordinarily early as usually I have to wait until July to see one. Making up for a lack of garden trapping in May owing to the weather and holidays I ran my MV trap for three consecutive nights at the start of June, alternating between the east and west sides of my house in Oxford. The progression in the number of macro-moths caught was interesting (dates given are the morning afterwards when they were identified) : June 1st = 7 species, 15 moths; June 2nd = 27 species, 52 moths; June 3rd = 37 species, 70 moths. Presumably a reflection of the increasing warmth of the nights and the receding aftermath of the atrocious bank holiday weather. In total I identified the following 49 species: Heart & Dart (27), Treble Lines (24), Poplar Hawkmoth (8), Setaceous Hebrew Character (5), Common White Wave (5), Small Square-spot (4), Straw Dot (4), Large Yellow Underwing (4), Snout (3), Beautiful Hook-tip (3), Bright-line Brown-eye (2), Brown Rustic (2), Buff-tip (2), Burnished Brass (2), Clouded Border (2), Common Swift (2), Green Carpet (2), Marbled Minor (2), Orange Footman (2), Pale-shouldered Brocade (2), Pebble Prominent (2), Southern Wainscot (2), Spectacle (2), Treble Brown Spot (2) and singletons of Angle Shades, Beautiful Golden-Y, Blood-vein, Buff Ermine, Cinnabar, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Eyed Hawk-moth, Flame Shoulder, Green Pug, Large Nutmeg, Light Emerald, Lime-speck Pug, May Highflyer, Mottled Beauty, Poplar Kitten, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Scalloped Hazel, Shears, Silver-ground Carpet, Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Small Seraphim, Smoky Wainscot, Swallow Prominent, Vine's Rustic and Willow Beauty. To me the most pleasing was the Small Elephant Hawk-moth being an addition to my all time garden list. There were also a number of micros but only three species identified - Perinephela lancealis (3), Small Magpie (2) and Udea Olivalis (1)."

Small Elephant Hawk-moth Photo © David Redhead

~ Sunday 3rd June 2007 ~

Dave Ferguson visited Salsden Wood Railway Line on 1st June and recorded Chimney Sweeper (10), Burnet Companion (5) and Cinnabar (2). Also, some earlier day-flying moth sightings were as follows: Common Heath: Stoke Common, 15+, 24/5/07; Speckled Yellow: Black Park, 30+, 23/5/07 and Yellow Shell: Grangelands, 1, 19/5/07.

Nigel Partridge recorded a Lime-speck Pug at Loosley Row on 01-06-07.

Lime-speck Pug Photo © Nigel Partridge

In an hour-long sunny interlude between thunderstorms Thursday afternoon 31st May, Dave Wilton went to Lapland Farm, Bucks to search for Forester Moth: "This time I was successful, with seven Forester Moths recorded in the eastern meadow. Other moth species active there in the sunshine comprised Grass Rivulet (4), Lime-speck Pug (1), Shoulder- striped Wainscot (1), Silver-Y (1), Mother Shipton (4), Burnet Companion (3), Hedya pruniana (2), Opsibotys fuscalis (5)." Then, on Friday 1st June at Seven Barrows and nearby Crog Hill (permit required) in Berkshire, Dave recorded the following: "At Seven Barrows moths were Forester, Grass Rivulet, Green Carpet, Yellow Shell, Cinnabar, Mother Shipton and Burnet Companion. At Crog Hill: Grass Rivulet, Common Heath, Cinnabar, Mother Shipton, Burnet Companion, Cocksfoot Moth/Glyphipterix simpliciella, Opsibotys fuscalis and Thistle Ermine/Myelois circumvoluta."

~ Thursday 31st May 2007 ~

Mark Griffiths sent this news on 29th May: "I have something you might be interested in, a Scarlet Tiger larva outside my house, in Garsington, Oxfordshire. You can find a photo of it on my gardening blog dated 3rd May."

On 29th May Mark Calway sent the following recent moth sightings: "On 20th May there were 2 Anthophila fabriciana (Nettle-tap) in my garden near Reading. At a site called The Grove, Shinfield near J11 of the M4 I recorded Callistege mi (Mother Shipton) and Elachista argentella, a small pure white moth of grassland habitats on 29th May. There were also numerous individuals of the tortricidae Celypha lacunana."

Peter Hall ran his garden moth trap in Ballinger Common on 25th May with the following results: Silver-ground Carpet, Scorched Wing, Treble Lines, Common Swift, Heart & Dart, Mottled Beauty, Brimstone Moth, Pale Tussock, Green Carpet, Lobster, Treble-bar, Willow Beauty, Scalloped Hazel, Poplar Hawk, Bright-line Brown-eye, Mottled Pug, Orange Footman, Flame Carpet, Small Square-spot, Shears, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Hofmannophila pseudospretella (Brown House Moth), Eurrhypara hortulata (Small Magpie) and Evergestis forficalis (Garden Pebble).

~ Sunday 27th May 2007 ~

Nigel Partridge sent this update today, 27th May: "This is one from 18th April - many thanks to Peter Hall for identifying this Double Square-spot caterpillar for me. Also, I had an Ingrailed Clay at Loosley Row on 25-05-07."

Ingrailed Clay Double Square-spot caterpillar Photo © Nigel Photo © Nigel Partridge Partridge

26th May: Adam Bassett sent the results of another one of his garden moth traps: "Some more moth records for you from my garden moth trap (in Marlow Bottom, Bucks) of 22nd May. Dingy Shell is new for the garden and the closest alders must be about 3 miles away along the Thames. Treble Lines was the most numerous again at 22. Common Swift, Small Magpie, Bee Moth, Mocha, Clay Triple-lines, Garden Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Green Carpet, Small Waved Umber, Mottled Pug, Dingy Shell, Scalloped Hazel, Pale Oak Beauty, Square Spot, White-pinion Spotted, Pale Tussock, Orange Footman, Least Black Arches, Heart & Dart, Ingrailed Clay, Shears, Light Brocade, Treble Lines, Vine's Rustic, Nut-tree Tussock."

Derek Brown ran his garden trap on 25th May in Beenham, Berks. Moth species included: Green Pug; Treble Brown-Spot; Rustic; Barred Red; Burnished Brass.

Green Pug Barred Red Treble Brown-Spot Photo © Derek Brown Photo © Derek Brown Photo © Derek Brown Dave Wilton went to BBOWT's River Ray reserves on the Bucks/Oxon border on Thursday 24th May: "I was looking for Forester but was unlucky, although I did disturb Grass Rivulet (2) and the pyrale Opsibotys fuscalis (2) from amongst the copious amounts of Yellow Rattle there. For a couple of hours that evening I ran the 125wt MV trap in Finemere Wood again and it brought in 43 species, including Poplar Lutestring, Scorched Carpet, Brindled White- spot, Marbled Brown, Straw Dot, Ptycholoma lecheana and Acentria ephemerella/Water Veneer which hadn't seen me yet this year. Two or three of those may still be additions to the UTB list."

On 26th May Ched George provided this update on the Privet Hawk at Whiteleaf (see report 21st May). "Julia returned to the site next morning and found a second smaller Privet Hawk resting near to the first. I've no doubt that the female attracted a mate in the night, paired and then separated, before Julia arrived."

Les Finch sent the following reports on 25th May: "In company with my son and Bernard Clark, two MV lights were operated near to a small piece of local (Maidenhead) woodland on 22nd May. Not quite as exciting as our visit on 1st May, but the log was: Common Swift(35), Mocha(3), Silver-ground Carpet(4), Common Carpet(1), Common Marbled Carpet(1), Green Carpet(7), Small Waved Umber(1), Pretty Chalk Carpet(4), Mottled Pug(6), Small White Wave(3), Scorched Carpet(3), Peacock Moth(1), Scorched Wing(1), Brimstone Moth(4), Waved Umber(1), Willow Beauty(1), Pale Oak Beauty(5), Common White Wave(1), Common Wave(1), White-pinion Spotted(3), Light Emerald(1), Marbled Brown(2), Pale Tussock(5), Orange Footman(6), Cinnabar(3), Turnip Moth(4), Heart and Dart(5), Flame Shoulder(1), Setaceous Hebrew Character(1), Shears(24), Common Wainscot(1), Angle Shades(1), Marbled Minor agg(5), Middle-barred Minor(4), Treble Lines(19), Nut-tree Tussock(1), and Snout(1). Brian Clews, my son and I ran two MV lights at the BBOWT, Woolley Firs site on Thursday 24th May. The catch of 219 moths in 44 species comprised Common Swift(13), Maiden’s Blush(3), Cream Wave(3), Small Dusty Wave(1), Flame Carpet(1), Red/Dark- barred Twin-spot Carpet(1), Silver-ground Carpet(10), Garden Carpet(1), Common Marbled Carpet(6), Grey Pine Carpet(1), Broken-barred Carpet(2), Green Carpet(47), Foxglove Pug(1), Mottled Pug(4), Common Pug(2), Oak-tree Pug(1), V-Pug(1), Double- striped Pug(1), Scorched Carpet(1), Tawny-barred Angle(2), Brimstone Moth(2), Willow Beauty(13), Pale Oak Beauty(3), White-pinion Spotted(20), Clouded Silver(3), Small Elephant Hawk-moth(1), Marbled Brown(1), Pale Tussock(6), Orange Footman(4), White Ermine(6), Heart and Dart(6), Shuttle-shaped Dart(4), Flame Shoulder(5), Large Yellow Underwing(2), Ingrailed Clay(2), Setaceous Hebrew Character(1), Shears(2), Angle Shades(2), Marbled Minor agg(19), Treble Lines(6), Vine’s Rustic(1), Beautiful Hook-tip(1), Straw Dot(1), and Snout(5). Visitors to my garden traps (Maidenhead, Berks) in the last few days have been very seasonal and have included: Blood-vein, Yellow Shell, Freyer’s Pug, Green Pug, Willow Beauty, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Shears, Light Brocade, Sycamore, Dusky Brocade, and Vine’s Rustic. Also a Scalloped Oak - nothing special about this, apart from the fact that it's very early (25th May)."

Scalloped Oak Photo © Les Finch

Dave Wilton ran his Westcott garden moth trap on Wednesday night 23rd May: "It produced the first large catch of the year with 350 moths of nearly 80 species coming to my garden trap. Those identified so far comprise Common Swift, Figure of Eighty, Maiden's Blush, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, Common Carpet, Purple Bar, Common Marbled Carpet, Broken-barred Carpet, Green Carpet, Grass Rivulet, Sandy Carpet, Mottled Pug, Common Pug, White-spotted Pug, Oak-tree Pug, V-Pug, Green Pug, Clouded Border, Scorched Wing, Brimstone Moth, Peppered Moth, Common White Wave, Common Wave, Clouded Silver, Poplar Hawk-moth, Small Elephant Hawk- moth, Poplar Kitten, Iron Prominent, Swallow Prominent, White Ermine, Least Black Arches, Heart and Dart, Flame, Flame Shoulder, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Shears, Bright-line Brown-eye, Hebrew Character, Common Wainscot, Poplar Grey, Brown Rustic, Angle Shades, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Small Clouded Brindle, Large Nutmeg, Rustic Shoulder-knot, Marbled Minor sp., Treble Lines (the most numerous moth, 67 examples), Vine's Rustic, Mottled Rustic, Silver Y, Spectacle and a handful of unidentifiable Pugs. The Micros included Nemophora degeerella, Plutella xylostella/Diamond-back Moth, Scrobipalpa costella, Aethes smeathmanniana, Syndemis musculana, Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Eulia ministrana, Celypha lacunana, Hedya pruniana, Epiblema cynosbatella, Cydia pomonella/Codling Moth, Crambus lathoniellus, Eurrhypara hortulata/Small Magpie, Pempelia formosa, Nephopterix angustella and several more requiring closer examination, including a possible Scoparia pyralella. The two Diamond-back Moths in the trap were my first migrants of the year other than the Silver Y."

Plutella xylostella (Diamond-back Moth) Photo © Dave Wilton

~ Friday 25th May 2007 ~

Nigel Partridge sent the following records for his Loosley Row garden moth trap: Small Magpie (Eurrhypara hortulata) on 22-05-07; Cochylis atricapitana on 23-05-07; Grass Rivulet and Treble-bar on 23-05-07; Small Fan-foot and Snout on 24-05-07. Also, I've just noticed the Day-flying Moths Challenge. Could you please add Cinnabar (19-05-07) and Silver-Y (18-05-07) for me.

Small Magpie Small Fan-foot Photo © Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge

Dave Wilton sent this moth report on 23rd May: "Just to update you on my Westcott garden records, further additions to my year list since 14th May have included Figure of Eighty, Blood-vein, Common Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, Common Marbled Carpet, Broken-barred Carpet, Grass Rivulet, Peppered Moth, Pale Oak Beauty, Small Elephant Hawk-moth, Orange Footman, Heart & Club, Flame, Common Wainscot, Miller, Clouded- bordered Brindle, Marbled Minor sp., Vine's Rustic, Silver Y, Epiphyas postvittana, Pseudargyrotoza conwagana, Crambus lathoniellus, Udea olivalis and Small Magpie. Photos of the Small Elephant Hawk-moth (15th May), Pale Oak Beauty (20th May) and Miller (22nd May) appear below. I've now passed 100 macro species in the garden, two weeks earlier than last year thanks to the recent good weather. Of the day-fliers, I saw Mother Shipton in the Greatmoor, Bucks, area back on 19th May, had Grass Rivulet in my garden trap on 20th May and recorded a Yellow Shell near Moulsford Downs, Berks on 22nd May."

Miller Pale Oak Beauty Small Elephant Hawk-moth Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

Mick & Wendy Campbell went to BBOWT's Calvert Jubilee Reserve (permit required) looking for butterflies on Sunday 20th May. They also recorded several moth species, including Burnet Companion, Cinnabar, Lackey Moth caterpillar and the striking micro, Commophila aeneana. Other day-flying moths seen included: Yellow Shell near Moulsford Downs, Berks on 22nd May (with Dave Wilton), Small Yellow Underwing (6), Grass Rivulet (to be confirmed), Forester (6) Silver-Y (2) and Mother Shipton at Asham Meads on 24th May.

Commophila aeneana Photo © Wendy Campbell

Tony Towner ran his garden trap during the evening of 19/05/07 and all through the night in his garden at Tilehurst. "Moths recorded were: Shuttle-shaped Dart (5) : Heart and Dart (1) : Common Swift (1) Shears (1) : Bright-line Brown-eye (1) : Treble Lines (1). I'm a fanatical bird feeder and in my bird food furniture store I have found an eruption of White-shouldered House-moths which seem to be living in the bird seed?"

Shears White-shouldered House-moth Photo © Tony Towner Photo © Tony Towner

Bright-line Brown-eye Photo © Tony Towner

~ Wednesday 23rd May 2007 ~

Wendy Wilson walked from Denham Village, Bucks, to Denham Country Park on 18 May: "I saw Common carpet, Cinnabar and Silver-ground carpet."

Dave Ferguson spent an hour at Yoesden Bank looking for butterflies on 18th May and recorded: Mother Shipton (4), Burnet Companion (7). On 19th May 30 minutes at Hedgerley spoil heap produced two Cinnabar moths.

On Friday morning, 18th, Dave Wilton spent another couple of hours in the disused railway cutting west of Westcott, sheltered from the strong south-westerly wind: "There was plenty of butterfly activity there but I also saw the following moths - Green Carpet (1), Lesser Treble-bar (2), Common Heath (2), Cinnabar (4), Small Yellow Underwing (2), Silver-Y (1), Burnet Companion (1) and Pyrausta purpuralis (5, two of them potted and confirmed). While hunting unsuccessfully for signs of Brown Hairstreak caterpillars from a couple of eggs which I'd tagged, both of which had hatched, I did manage to find a Figure of Eight caterpillar about 2cm in length."

Peter Hall ran his Ballinger garden moth trap on 12th May: “For the first time, Orange Footman was the commonest moth in the trap. From nothing a few years ago to 13 individuals. The Marbled Minor, Common Pug and Cnephasia stephensiana (Grey Tortrix) were all confirmed by dissection.” Nut-tree Tussock, Buff-tip, Hebrew Character, Muslin, Heart & Dart, Clouded-bordered Brindle, Spruce Carpet, Barred Hook-tip, Common Carpet, Chinese Character, Shears, Clouded Silver, Scalloped Hazel, Vine's Rustic, Small Square-spot, Common Marbled Carpet, Silver-ground Carpet, Pseudoswammerdamia combinella, Epiphyas postvittana (Light Brown Apple), Alucita hexadactyla (Twenty-plume), Epiblema cynosbatella, Common Pug, Cnephasia stephensiana (Grey Tortrix) and Marbled Minor.

Rising to the 'Day-flying moth challenge', Jan Haseler sent the following records on 18th May: 3 May: University of Reading Farm, Shinfield: Silver-Y, 4 May: Moor Copse extension: meadows: Mother Shipton, Burnet Companion, Small Yellow Underwing, Common Carpet; wet woodland: Small White Wave, Grey Birch, White-pinion Spotted, Silver-ground Carpet, Scoparia ambigualis 5 May: Tilehurst: Adela rufimitrella 6 May: W Berks, a new site for the BAP species Drab Looper: 15 Drab Looper, 30 Speckled Yellow, Perinephela lancealis, Pebble Hook-tip, Nemophora degeerella, Brown Silver-line 11 May: on a wall at Shinfield Park: Sycamore 12 May: Tilehurst: Garden Pebble 17 May: Lardon Chase: Thisanotia chrysonuchella, Yellow Shell; The Holies: Lesser Treble-bar ..and at light: 5 May: Tilehurst: Scorched Wing 16 May: Tilehurst: Epinotia bilunana Finally, on Friday 11th May, the Berkshire Moth Group field trip to Bucklebury Common recorded 33 species of moth, including Square Spot, Poplar Lutestring, Birch Mocha, Cream Wave, Marbled Brown and Orange Footman.

Drab Looper Small White Wave Photo © Jan Haseler Photo © Jan Haseler

Thisanotia chrysonuchella Small Yellow Underwing Photo © Jan Haseler Photo © Jan Haseler

Alastair Driver reports a decent night's trapping at last! "In my garden at Sonning overnight on 17th May, I had 24 macro species - all recorded before, but 16 were new for my yearlist. These were Maple Prominent, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Pine Hawk- moth, Smoky Wainscot, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Mottled Pug, Buff-tip, Common Marbled Carpet, Common Wainscot, Large Yellow Underwing, Willow Beauty, Foxglove Pug, Marbled Minor agg, Flame, Green Carpet and Vine's Rustic. Also caught the burying beetle Necrodes littoralis - a new garden species!"

Nigel Partridge sent the following on 18th May: "I think this is one for the sightings list: Evergestis forficalis (Garden Pebble) Loosley Row 17-05-07."

Evergestis forficalis (Garden Pebble) Photo © Nigel Partridge

Welcome to the website new contributor Pete Thompson who sent the following report on 18th May: "I've recently started moth trapping in South Oxfordshire. I've been checking 2007 sightings on the UTB website and, not surprisingly, almost all the moths I've managed to ID have already been seen elsewhere. The only addition I have is Buff Tip, seen on 6/7 May 2007."

~ Friday 18th May 2007 ~

David Redhead reported the following: "Yellow Shell seen at Swyncombe Downs last Friday, 11th May. Last night, 17th May, I ran my garden moth trap (Littlemore, Oxford) with the following results:- Treble Lines 13, Orange Footman 5, Poplar Hawk-moth 4, Common Swift 2, Figure of Eighty 2, Green Carpet 2, Heart & Dart 2, Shuttle-shaped Dart 2, Udea Olivalis 2, Angle Shades 1, Clouded Silver 1, Coronet 1, Flame Shoulder 1, Light Brocade 1, Pale Prominent 1, Pale Tussock 1, Pebble Hook-tip 1, Peppered Moth (normal form) 1, Scorched Wing 1, Setaceous Hebrew Character 1, Spruce Carpet 1, Straw Dot 1, Swallow Prominent 1 and Vine's Rustic 1. Some may be new ones for the UTB 2007 list, but the Orange Footman is an addition to my all time garden list. Also yesterday, 17th, I did my M40 Compensation Area and Shabbington transects in conditions which just qualified. The Shabbington Wood produced some early instar Emperor Moth caterpillars on ride edge bramble and a Common Wave."

Scorched Wing Photo © David Redhead

Reported by Dave Maunder on 16th May: "Just a handful of moths in Aylesbury over the last week, due to the grotty weather! These were:- Sycamore (1), Brimstone (1), Waved Umber (1, on 16th) and Pale Prominent."

Dave Wilton has been recording moths most days, despite the far from excellent weather conditions: 15th May - Having seen my first Silver-Y of the year on 30th April in the centre of Finemere Wood (SP 7121), I bumped into my second today in a field adjacent to our house in Westcott, Bucks (SP 7117). This was during a local hedgerow walk in search of Small Yellow Underwing, of which I eventually managed to find three, all in SP 7216. They were rather too flighty for the camera so I "borrowed" this one for an hour in order to get a decent picture of it at home."

16th May - "Private, open-access, wildflower meadows to the west of Quainton Bucks,SP 7220, a Silver-Y was the only moth seen in the afternoon's drizzle." 17th May - "Despite the marginal conditions today I went to Finemere Wood to carry out a butterfly transect and, contrary to expectations, managed to see nearly 30 butterflies of seven species. However, they were easily outnumbered by moths which included Common Carpet (5), Silver-ground Carpet (1) and micros Micropterix calthella (50+), Adela reaumurella (1), Glyphipterix simpliciella (10+), Grapholita jungiella (3) and another larger tortrix which will have to be examined more closely. The tiny micros Micropterix calthella (wing length 5mm) and Glyphipterix simpliciella (wing length 3mm) were to be found together inside buttercup flowers."

Glyphipterix simpliciella Micropterix calthella Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

On Wednesday morning, 16th May, in Marlow Bottom, Adam Basset disturbed a Silver- ground Carpet. "It was trying to shelter from the horrible weather in a laurel hedge."

Tim Watts sent this photo of a Drinker Moth caterpillar taken at the Calvert BBOWT reserve on 15/05/07.

Drinker Moth caterpillar Photo © Tim Watts

~ Tuesday 15th May 2007 ~

14th May - Further additions to Dave Wilton's garden (Westcott) year list over the past week have included: Common Swift, Pebble Hook-tip, Purple Bar, White-spotted Pug, Scalloped Hazel, Poplar Hawk-moth, Eyed Hawk-moth, Buff Ermine, Small Square-spot, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Mullein, Light Brocade, Large Nutmeg and Rustic Shoulder-knot. Pictures of the Eyed Hawk-moth and Setaceous Hebrew Character appear below. Unusually, the latter appeared on 10th May alongside a Hebrew Character still in excellent condition, a situation I don't remember having seen before!"

Hebrew Character (left) and Eyed Hawk-moth Setaceous Hebrew Character Photo © Dave Wilton (right) Photo © Dave Wilton Mark Calway spotted Argyresthia trifasciata flying at dusk on 8th May: "I have been recording this small distinctive moth in my garden in Earley, Reading, since 2002. It is worth looking out for as it is suggested that it is getting more common. It does come to MV light, but it is easily overlooked.

Argyresthia trifasciata Photo © Mark Calway

Keith Mitchell reports that moth numbers were still low on Saturday night (12th): "However, I trapped a new micro for the garden, Phtheochroa rugosana."

Wendy Wilson sent the following photos of a Pyrausta sp. moth, seen in her garden in Gerrards Cross on 1st May: "I saw this Pyrausta in my garden again today so I was able to get a better photo of it. Here it is in case you want it for the website."

Pyrausta purpuralis or P. Pyrausta purpuralis or P. aurata aurata Photo © Wendy Wilson Photo © Wendy Wilson

~ Thursday 10th May 2007 ~

Peter Hall sent some results from a moth trap in his Ballinger garden: "On 8th May, Marbled Minor (genitalia confirmed) and Nematopogon swammerdamella."

Dave Wilton ran the MV trap again at Finemere Wood on Tuesday night, 8th May: "Despite the fact that it rained for most of the three hours I was there, I was more than pleased with the results: Pebble Hook-tip (3), Cream Wave (1), Red Twin-spot Carpet (1), Water Carpet (1), Broken-barred Carpet (3), Green Carpet (1), Seraphim (1), Peacock (1), Clouded Border (1), Brimstone Moth (6), Common Wave (1), Clouded Silver (1), Pebble Prominent (1), Coxcomb Prominent (2), Pale Prominent (2), Lunar Marbled Brown (1), Great Prominent (8), Pale Tussock (6), Orange Footman (2), Least Black Arches (1), Flame Shoulder (7), Powdered Quaker (1), Common Quaker (2), Clouded Drab (1), Hebrew Character (5), Angle Shades (1), Treble Lines (3) and micros: Nematopogon swammerdamella (1), Syndemis musculana (2) and a possible Dipleurina lacustrata which will have to await examination by an expert." ~ Tuesday 8th May 2007 ~

Another new species from Nigel Partridge: Larch Pug, caught in Loosley Row on 8th May.

Larch Pug Photo © Nigel Partridge

Keith Mitchell found more normal fare overnight on 6th May in his Stoke Goldington garden trap: "It included Muslin, Pale Prominent, Brindled Beauty, Common Quaker, Angle Shades, Heart and Dart, The Mullein, White Ermine, Lime Hawk-moth, Hebrew Character, Flame Shoulder and Swallow Prominent. An attractive and pristine, locally scarce Poplar Kitten, however, which preferred the sanctuary of the front door lights provided a welcome addition to the garden list."

Poplar Kitten Photo © Keith Mitchell

Nigel Partridge had one of the best nights of the year so far on 6th May in Loosley Row: Herald, Green Carpet, Maiden's Blush, Purple Bar, Brimstone Moth, Broken-barred Carpet, Hebrew Character, Nut-tree Tussock, Yellow-barred Brindle, Heart and Dart, Treble Lines, Water Carpet and Scalloped Hazel.

Broken-barred Carpet Purple Bar Photo © Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge Regular overnight trapping sessions in Dave Wilton's Westcott garden, alternating between MV and actinic, continue to add species to his list for this year: "However, there's been nothing unusual which is why you haven't heard from me for a while. Frosted Green, Garden Carpet, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Green Carpet, Common Pug, Mottled Pug, Brindled Pug, Oak-tree Pug, V-Pug, Lesser Treble-bar, Purple Thorn, Common Wave, Poplar Kitten, Pale Tussock, Lunar Marbled Brown, Turnip Moth, Heart and Dart, Nutmeg, Lychnis, Treble Lines and Tinea trinotella have all been added over the past two weeks but there's very few there that haven't already made it on to the UTB list. The overall number of moths in the trap has remained quite low but at least that easterly wind has now gone so maybe things will improve! Two of my recent additions are illustrated below. The Poplar Kitten was trapped on 28th April while the two Treble Lines were amongst ten caught on 6th May, a couple of which were of the dark grey form obscura."

Poplar Kitten Treble Lines Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

7th May - Moths in Les Finch's garden traps (Maidenhead, Berks) in the last week have been: Garden Carpet(1), Common Marbled Carpet(1), Grey Pine Carpet(1), Foxglove Pug(1), Double-striped Pug(1), Seraphim(1), Brimstone Moth(5), Waved Umber(1), Pale Tussock(1), Turnip Moth(9), Heart and Dart(16), Shuttle-shaped Dart(85), Cabbage Moth(1), Bright-line Brown-eye(2), Powdered Quaker(1), Common Quaker(4), Hebrew Character(3), Early Grey(3), Angle Shades(2), Marbled Minor agg (1 on 3 May), Treble Lines(5), Vine's Rustic(2 on 5 May), Pale Mottled Willow(11) and Nut-tree Tussock(1).

~ Sunday 6th May 2007 ~

May Webber sent the following report from Witney in Oxon on 6th May: "Just a quick e- mail to tell you what moth species I have seen this year that I have mostly caught in my moth trap. I have not repeated moth species: 12/04: Small Quaker, Lead-coloured Drab, Early Grey, Common Quaker, Hebrew Character, Clouded Drab. 22/04: Brindled Beauty, Spectacle, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Small Quaker. 29/04: Pale Tussock, Muslin moth, White Ermine, Shears, Poplar Hawk-moth. 29/04: Treble Lines, Common Wainscot, Heart and Dart. Also today I went on a walk on the outskirts of Gloucestershire (nr. Windrush) and managed to find a Coxcombe Prominent which I have never seen before."

Latest moth records from Shirley & John Spencer's garden at Riseley: May 5th - Light Box - Great Prominent 1, Hebrew Character 1, Shuttle-shaped Dart 1, Muslin Moth 1. May 6th - Midday - Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth nectaring on Honesty. I was able to identify this positively as I had a very good look at it and had previously seen one in France and another in Cornwall. Unfortunately there was not time to fetch the camera, but we hope it will return!" Derek Brown said he didn't have much to report from his Beenham garden last night, 5th May: "However, I did have my first Pine Hawk-moth and a Blood-vein seems to be new for the list as well. These two moths are the earliest records I've had of these species - by over a month!"

Pine Hawk-moth Blood-vein Photo © Derek Brown Photo © Derek Brown

Susan Nicholls sent the following report from Caversham on 6th May: "This is my list from last night - still not very many: Pale Prominent, Muslin Moth, Cinnabar, Heart and Dart, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Light Brocade, Small Quaker, Hebrew Character, Treble Lines. Wanting to run my trap last night, I checked everything was OK, but found my fox cubs had chewed through the cable! A quick trip to a DIY store and I was able to run the trap after all - but all the leads are now draped over fencing and through bushes and trees! (The cubs are tiny, about the size of an adult Chihuahua - one of them spent 10 minutes circling within 12 inches of me this morning, when I was on my way to empty the trap around 5.00am). I am concerned about the Cinnabar moths this year - I have no Ragwort in the garden and there seems to be not much elsewhere. This is not surprising as the larvae devastated my plants last year, which meant that they did not get to set any seeds. I have also noticed that a lot of the plants appear to have some rust fungal infection, which looks as though it kills the plants."

Richard Soulsby was looking primarily for butterflies on Lardon Chase on 5th May and found his first Yellow Shell of the season.

John Parsons, Newbury, paid two visits to Greenham Common recently: "I managed to get a couple of hours on Greenham Common on 2nd May and took a photo of a Yellow Belle. I also had a great afternoon there on 5th May and saw many species including Speckled Yellow and Lesser Treble-bar."

Yellow Belle Speckled Yellow Lesser Treble-bar Photo © John Parsons Photo © John Parsons Photo © John Parsons

On Sunday 30th April Jan Haseler found a Yellow-tail caterpillar at BBOWT's Moor Copse Reserve.

Yellow-tail caterpillar Photo © Jan Haseler

Tom Stevenson ran his trap again last night, 30th April: "Still very low numbers but it did get down to about 3°C. 2 Brimstone Moths, an unidentified Tortrix and 2 Light Brocades."

Light Brocade Photo © Tom Stevenson

Trevor Lawson sent this unusual report on 29th April. Posting of the report has been delayed pending identification of the moth: "In the hope of some rain today, I went to clean out the rainwater diverter on our downpipe. Trapped inside was this battered moth, which has laid around 50 eggs, possibly because it never expected to get out. If I can identify it, I'll transfer the eggs (on the bits of leaf) to a suitable foodplant. The whole body of the moth is an inch long and it is white and fluffy like some of the Ermines." [Many thanks to Martin Albertini who kindly visited Trevor and identified the moth as a very battered Pale Tussock. The eggs could be fertile so if they hatch Trevor is going to try the caterpillars on their preferred foodplants, most of which he has growing in his garden.]

~ Wednesday 2nd May 2007 ~

Les Finch sent the following exciting report today: "In company with my son and Bernard Clark, two MV lights were operated near to a small piece of local woodland (Maidenhead) on 1st May. Despite a near full moon and only partial protection from a gentle north-easterly breeze, part of the catch was quite amazing, the full log being: Oak Hook-tip 1, Chinese Character 1, Mocha 6, Maiden's Blush 1, Red/Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet 1, Small Phoenix 1, Pretty Chalk Carpet 1, Mottled Pug 2, Netted Pug 1, Brindled Pug 2, Double-striped Pug 1, Seraphim 1, Scorched Carpet 11, Brimstone Moth 9, Pale Oak Beauty 1, Engrailed 1, White-pinion Spotted 1, Lime Hawk-moth 2, Lobster Moth 1, Maple Prominent 1, Pale Tussock 3, Orange Footman 4, Least Black Arches 4, Shuttle- shaped Dart 3, Shears 1, Common Quaker 1, Clouded Drab 1, Treble Lines 2, Green Silver-lines 1, Oak Nycteoline 1, and Nut-tree Tussock 6. Pretty Chalk Carpet and Netted Pug are rather scarce in VC22, whilst the six Mochas probably indicate a previously unrecorded colony. I’ve also alerted Martin Harvey to the find and provided him with a bit more detail."

Mocha Netted Pug Pretty Chalk Carpet Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch

Orange Footman Photo © Les Finch

Keith Mitchell reported the following today, 2nd May: "Of only four moths to be trapped overnight in Stoke Goldington on Friday 27th April, there was one Common Swift, my earliest and only April record."

1st May - Dave Maunder has seen a few more moths around Aylesbury over the last week: Pale Prominent (1), Pale Tussock (2 - 1 male, and a freshly emerged female found on a fence!); Hebrew Character (1); Brimstone moth (1); Pyrausta aurata (2); Many plume (1) and Carnation tortrix (1).

Newly emerged Pale Tussock Photo © Dave Maunder

Susan Nicholls has run her moth trap in Caversham 5 times during April (18th, 20th, 24th, 27th and 30th): The catch has been interesting as the Common Pug and Muslin Moth are present in greater numbers than previous years and I have had the Nut-tree Tussock on two occasions - this was a new moth for the garden. Adela reaumurella, White-shouldered House Moth, Light Brown Apple Moth, Bramble Shoot Moth, Twenty- plume Moth, Common Pug, Brindled Pug, Double-striped Pug, Scorched Carpet, Brimstone Moth, Brindled Beauty, Muslin Moth, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, White-marked, Bright-line Brown-eye, Small Quaker, Powdered Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, Hebrew Character, Early Grey, Treble Lines, Pale Mottled Willow, Nut-tree Tussock, Silver Y. On 30th April Alastair Driver sent this belated summary from the trapping at Ali's Pond LNR: "On 15th April I caught 11 macro species, of which Pale Tussock, Nut-tree Tussock, Pale Mottled Willow and Scarce Tissue were all new for my yearlist. I also set the trap in my Sonning garden on 25th April and caught my first ever Monopis obviella (many thanks to Peter Hall for the id) - see photo below - the beast is so tiny it's hard to get a focus with an average camera! Also caught my first Common Pug of the year. Still a very sparse catch though."

Monopis obviella Photo © Alastair Driver

Les Finch sent this report on 30th April: "Visitors to the garden traps (Maidenhead) in the last few nights have been Grey Pine Carpet(1), Currant Pug(1), Brindled Pug(1), Double- striped Pug(3), Brimstone Moth(5), Brindled Beauty(1), Waved Umber(1), Poplar Hawk- moth(1), Coxcomb Prominent(1), Pale Tussock(1), Turnip Moth(1), Heart and Dart(3), Shuttle-shaped Dart(31), Clouded Drab(2), Hebrew Character(4), Dark/Grey Dagger(2), Angle Shades(2), Treble Lines(4), Pale Mottled Willow(14), and Silver Y(1)."

Poplar Hawk-moth Photo © Les Finch

Nigel Partridge sent the following on 30th April: "Here is a Common Pug for the list. Caught at Loosley Row on 29-4-07."

Wendy & Mick Campbell were looking for butterflies at Yoesden Bank on Monday 30th. They found a few moths while they were there, including Lesser Treble-bar, Pyrausta sp., Common Carpet, Burnet Companion (2), Adela Reaumurella (lots) and Mother Shipton (2).

On 28th April Wendy Wilson was out looking for butterflies and saw a Small Yellow Underwing (Panemeria tenebrata) resting, with its underwings showing, on a dead twig in a flowery bit of waste ground behind the churchyard in Denham village (TQ044 871). "It flew as I got my camera out. On returning home I found a Pyrausta aurata/purpuralis sunning itself on a forget-me-not in my garden in Gerrards Cross, where I've seen them in previous years." ~ Wednesday 2nd May 2007 ~

Mocha Netted Pug Pretty Chalk Carpet Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch

Orange Footman Photo © Les Finch

Newly emerged Pale Tussock Photo © Dave Maunder

On 30th April Alastair Driver sent this belated summary from the trapping at Ali's Pond LNR: "On 15th April I caught 11 macro species, of which Pale Tussock, Nut-tree Tussock, Pale Mottled Willow and Scarce Tissue were all new for my yearlist. I also set the trap in my Sonning garden on 25th April and caught my first ever Monopis obviella (many thanks to Peter Hall for the id) - see photo below - the beast is so tiny it's hard to get a focus with an average camera! Also caught my first Common Pug of the year. Still a very sparse catch though."

Monopis obviella Photo © Alastair Driver

~ Sunday 29th April 2007 ~

John Parsons, Newbury sent this news today, 29th April: "Last summer I sent a picture of Emperor Moth caterpillars and late yesterday one emerged, a female. This evening I took it in a netted sandwich box back to Greenham Common and within 10 minutes a wild male had arrived and assembled with her, so there must be a good population on Greenham."

Derek Brown had several new moths for the year in his garden in Beenham on the 28th April: "Mullein, Foxglove Pug, Spectacle, Grey Pine Carpet, White Ermine, Pale Tussock and 1 that seems to be new for the UTB list - Treble Lines. The Mullein is the first I've ever had at Beenham and takes my year list to 39 and the garden list to 232 macros. (It's clear that the moths are following the butterflies in a pattern of early emergence.)"

Pale Tussock Treble Lines Photo © Derek Brown Photo © Derek Brown

Richard Soulsby had a productive transect at Swyncombe Downs on Saturday afternoon, 28th April: Along with the butterflies recorded were a number of moths - Common Carpet, a Cinnabar and a “flock” of Adela reaumurella, plus Pyrausta nigrata and Pyrausta aurata.

Active day-flying moths seen by Dave Wilton in the railway cutting west of Westcott yesterday, 28th April included: Adela reaumurella (100+), Pammene rhediella (1), Grapholita jungiella (1), Pyrausta aurata (12), Lesser Treble-bar (1), Common Heath (3) and Cinnabar (2), while a Common Carpet was disturbed from the vegetation.

Adela reaumurella Common Carpet Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

Jan Haseler sent the following report yesterday, 28th April: "I have had some very early moth sightings over the last few weeks: Tilehurst – 10 April Pale Tussock and Eudonia angustea. The previous earliest record on the VC22 database for Pale Tussock is 20 Apr 2002. The previous earliest record for Eudonia angustea is 22 Apr 2002. Finchampstead 16 April Cydia succedana and Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella (in a gorse bush) Bearwood – 20 April Speckled Yellow (previous earliest record 15 May 1998) Moor Copse Extension – 27 April 10 species of moth, including Seraphim, Scorched Carpet and Coronet. The previous earliest record for Coronet is 20 May 2004."

Dave Wilton had a three-hour stint with the Robinson MV at Finemere Wood on Thursday night, 25th April: "It proved to be quite interesting, with more than 20 species trapped. Most numerous was the Great Prominent (28 caught!), while others included Maiden's Blush, Pale Tussock, Seraphim, Tawny-barred Angle and the tortrix Syndemis musculana.

Great Prominent Tawny-barred Angle Pale Tussock Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

~ Wednesday 25th April 2007 ~

Peter Hall ran his overnight moth trap in his Ballinger Common (Bucks) garden on 23rd April with the following results: March Moth, Brindled Pug, Nut-tree Tussock, Double- striped Pug, Hebrew Character, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Pine Beauty, Purple Thorn, Pebble Hook-tip, Chinese Character, Water Carpet, Tawny-barred Angle, Flame Shoulder, Clouded Drab, Scalloped Hazel, Iron Prominent, Waved Umber, Brimstone Moth, Early Grey, Least Black Arches, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Swallow Prominent, White-spotted Pug, Early Tooth-striped, Alucita hexadactyla, Scrobipalpa costella and Eriocrania subpurpurella.

Lesser Swallow Prominent Swallow Prominent Scalloped Hazel Photo © Peter Hall Photo © Peter Hall Photo © Peter Hall

Les Finch says the night of 24th April proved to be his best of the year so far: "Especially in terms of numbers trapped. The trend of early emergence continued, with Spruce Carpet, Foxglove Pug, Currant Pug and Heart & Dart being taken in the garden traps in Maidenhead, Berks."

Shirley & John Spencer sent their latest moth records today, 25th: "April 23rd - Riseley, Great Prominent 1, Frosted Green 1, Hebrew Character 3."

Eddie Napper sent this sighting today, 25th: "One moth I noticed that wasn't on your year list was Lychnis. I had one on 23/04/07 in my garden in Wokingham, Berks."

Lychnis Photo © Eddie Napper

This news was received from Dave Ferguson today, 25th April: "Deploying my moth trap in my garden (Beaconsfield, Bucks) last night (24th/25th April) for the first time this year gave the following result: Moths: 0, Cockchafers: 3. The suspiciously contented look of this trio of interlopers gave rise to the following question: do Cockchafers eat moths??"

~ Tuesday 24th April 2007 ~

24/04/07 - A few more moths seen in Aylesbury recently by Dave Maunder include:- " Small Dusty Wave (1 on 20th), Pale Pinion (1), Nut-tree Tussock (1), Double-striped Pug (1), Adela reaumurella (4, in woods near Chequers) and last night at my garden m.v. I managed Lime Hawk-moths (2) and Brimstone moth (1)."

The following report was received from Les Finch today, 24th April: "Bernard Clark, my son and I ran two MV lights at the BBOWT, Woolley Firs site on Monday 23rd April. The catch was Pebble Hook-tip(1), Chinese Character(1), Frosted Green(1), Red/Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet(1), Water Carpet(1), Red-green Carpet(1), Grey Pine Carpet(4), Green Carpet(7), Brindled Pug(19), Double-striped Pug(11), Scorched Carpet(5), Brimstone Moth(7), White-pinion Spotted(1), Lunar Marbled Brown(3), Least Black Arches(8), Shuttle-shaped Dart(8), Powdered Quaker(1), Common Quaker(5), Clouded Drab(3), Hebrew Character(7), Mullein(1), Angle Shades(2), and Nut-tree Tussock(2). In recent days, moths in the actinic traps at home in Maidenhead have included Pebble Hook-tip (22nd), Coxcomb Prominent (23rd), and Dark/Grey Dagger (23rd)."

Pebble Hook-tip Photo © Les Finch

23rd April - Peter Hall sent the photos below, taken over the past week or so.

Iron Prominent Angle Shades Photo © Peter Hall Photo © Peter Hall

Juliet and Alan Gudge ran a trap in their garden in Frieth, Bucks, on 22nd April: "We had 14 species including both Lunar Marbled Brown and Marbled Brown. We haven't had them at the same time before so it was good to be able to compare them. We also had Flame Shoulder, a possible Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (unconfirmed) and Common Marbled Carpet."

Nigel Partridge sent the following on 23rd April, all from his moth trap at Loosley Row:"Dark/Grey Dagger on 21-04-07; Spruce Carpet (I'm waiting for Martin to confirm this one) on 21-04-07 and Yellow-barred Brindle on 22-04-07."

Spruce Carpet (pending confirmation) Dark or Grey Dagger Yellow-barred Brindle Photo © Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge

~ Sunday 22nd April 2007 ~

Adam Bassett sent another set of moth records for his garden in Marlow Bottom, Bucks: "Quite a cold night on 21st April, so the catch was small, but Frosted Green and Pine Beauty were new to the garden list - Barred Hook-tip, Frosted Green, Streamer, Brimstone Moth, Brindled Beauty, Lunar Marbled Brown, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Cabbage Moth, Pine Beauty, Clouded Drab, Hebrew Character, Early Grey, Nut-tree Tussock and Spectacle. Also had my first Cockchafer of the season."

Wendy Wilson sent this note on 22nd April: "I've just been looking at the website and I see Dave Maunder saw a Many-plume moth (some books call it Twenty-plume moth) on 01/04/07. I thought you might like this photo of one I took on April 13th to illustrate his sighting as you don't have one. It landed by chance on my landing windowsill (in Bucks) which has a honeysuckle just outside, I let it out and the next day another slightly smaller and paler one came."

Many-plume moth Photo © Wendy Wilson

Dave Wilton sent his latest moth report today, Sunday 22nd April: "The moth-trap continues to provide further additions to my Westcott garden list for this year each time it is switched on. New species over the past couple of days have included Muslin Moth, Flame Shoulder (both 19th April) and Lesser Swallow Prominent, White Ermine, Shuttle- shaped Dart, Pale Mottled Willow (all 20th April). A delightful little micro with hairy antennae, Incurvaria masculella, was present in the garden during the day-time on 20th April (see photo below). A trapping session with Bill Parker for BBOWT at Rushbeds Wood on 21st April produced over 20 species but there was little that hasn't already been recorded. Highlights included Water Carpet, Early Tooth-striped, Waved Umber, Purple Thorn and Coxcomb Prominent. The most numerous visitors to our traps were Frosted Green, Lunar Marbled Brown and Nut-tree Tussock (the latter including a couple of the brown form melanotica)."

Incurvaria masculella Nut-tree Tussocks Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

Nigel Partridge reports another new moth for the 2007 species list: Loosley Row, 19-4-07 Coxcomb Prominent.

Nigel Partridge Photo © Nigel Partridge

Les Finch, in company with Bernard Clark, operated two MV lights near to a small piece of local woodland on 19th April: "These attracted Frosted Green(11), March Moth(1), Common Carpet(1), Streamer(1), Brindled Pug(21), Oak-tree Pug(1), Double-striped Pug(1), Scorched Carpet(14), Brimstone Moth(4), Waved Umber(2), Engrailed(3), Lime Hawk-moth(1), Lunar Marbled Brown(1), Least Black Arches(1), Turnip Moth(1), Shuttle- shaped Dart(2), Small Quaker(10), Common Quaker(5), Hebrew Character(1), Satellite(2), and Nut-tree Tussock(8)." On 20th April Les ran his trap at home in Maidenhead and the catch included a Pebble Prominent.

Pebble Prominent. Photo © Les Finch

Eddie Napper reports that on 28/03/07 on East Berks Golf Course, Crowthorne he found an Orange Underwing agg. on a footpath adjacent to the course.

~ Thursday 19th April 2007 ~ Richard Soulsby went to Hartslock this afternoon, 19th April: In addition to recording good numbers of butterflies he saw several Pyrausta nigrata and one very fresh Mother Shipton.

Shirley & John Spencer sent some more moth records from Riseley on 18th April: "On Monday 16th April, Common Quaker 1, Small Quaker 3, Hebrew Character 1, Clouded Drab, Early Grey 3, Frosted Green 2, Nut-tree Tussock 1. The last two were new species for our garden. The year seems to have started rather well!"

Overnight in his Wokingham garden on 17/04/07, Eddie Napper trapped: a Cabbage Moth and on 15/04/07 a Sallow Kitten.

Cabbage Moth Sallow Kitten Photo © Eddie Napper Photo © Eddie Napper

The cold nights affected the intake of David Redhead's second overnight garden moth trap of the year. It was just 4C when he switched it off on Wednesday morning, 18th April, to find only 6 moths inside : 3 Swallow Prominent, 2 Hebrew Character and 1 Nut- tree Tussock.

18th April - A few more moths seen around Aylesbury recently by Dave Maunder include: "Common quaker (4), Early Grey (1), Angle Shades (1 - freshly emerged on my fence), Grey/Dark dagger (1), Pyrausta aurata (2), Many Plume (1), Brimstone moth (3), Streamer (1), Purple Thorn (1 - my first seen in Aylesbury) and Double-striped Pug (1)."

Lime Hawk-moth Angle Shades Purple Thorn (moth trap 11/04/07) Photo © Dave Maunder Photo © Dave Maunder Photo © Dave Maunder

Wendy & Mick Campbell recorded a Small Purple-barred at Hartslock on Monday 16th April.

Keith Mitchell sent the following report on 15th April: "Not many moths trapped this weekend in Stoke Goldington, but amongst the usual species were 2 Muslin, 1 Shuttle- shaped Dart, 1 Lesser Swallow Prominent (photo below) and 1 Swallow Prominent - all firsts for me this year."

Lesser Swallow Prominent Photo © Keith Mitchell

Peter Hall sent the following list of moths, from his Ballinger garden on 10th April: Common Quaker, Small Quaker, Clouded Drab, Hebrew Character, Brindled Pug, Twin Spotted Quaker, Chestnut, Nut-tree Tussock, Oak Beauty, Satellite, Dotted Chestnut, Iron Prominent, Engrailed, Muslin, Streamer, Alucita Hexadactyla, Early Grey, Red Chestnut.

~ Tuesday 17th April 2007 ~

Following on from Dave Wilton's Emperor Moth report of 13th April (click here), Tim Watts sent the following news on 17th April: "An Emperor Moth, found and photographed by Colleen in the grounds of Brookes University, Oxford, today, 17th April. It was on a busy path and would almost certainly have been squashed so Colleen moved it into shrubs. I'm really jealous - it's a moth I've always wanted to see and thought a trip to a heathland type site was needed!"

Emperor Moth Photo © Colleen Watts

Les Finch reports from Maidenhead on his latest garden moth traps: "Worthy of note in the traps in the last few days have been Frosted Green (2 on 17th), Scorched Carpet (1 on 16th), and Ruby Tiger (2 on 17th)."

Frosted Green Scorched Carpet Ruby Tiger Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch

Dave Wilton's report for 17th April follows: "As others have also noted, the diversity of moths in the trap has improved considerably over the past week. Further new species in my garden at Westcott have included Lime Hawk-moth, Iron Prominent and Agonopterix subpropinquella (all 15th April) plus Brindled Beauty, Pale Prominent, Least Black Arches and Spectacle (all 16th April). Some of the smallest micros have also started to arrive and will require expert identification under a microscope."

Whilst up at Swyncombe on Monday afternoon, 16th April, Tom Stevenson came across two moths: Pyrausta sp. (aurata or purpuralis) and Pyrausta nigrata.

Nigel Partridge ran his moth trap at Loosley Row on 16-4-07 and had a Waved Umber (see photo below).

Waved Umber Photo © Nigel Partridge

Mick & Wendy Campbell ran a moth trap in their garden near Thame on Sunday 15th April and caught the following 10 species:Chinese Character, Brimstone, Small Phoenix, Early Grey, Hebrew Character, Common Quaker, Early Tooth-striped, Purple Thorn, Emmelina Monodactyla and Small Quaker. Also, on their house wall that morning was a fresh Streamer and later on during the day at Bradenham Bank a single longhorn moth, Adela reaumurella and at Lodge Hill their first Cinnabar moth of the year.

On 15h April Dave Wilton went to the disused railway line to the west of Westcott village again looking for butterflies: "There was more interest amongst the day-flying moths there. I saw Common Heath (2, both male), Ruby Tiger (1), Pyrausta aurata (1)and Semioscopis steinkellneriana (2) flying in the brilliant sunshine. Last night (14th) my garden trap at Westcott added Chinese Character, Swallow Prominent, Chocolate-tip, Bright-line Brown-eye and Pseudoswammerdamia combinella to my garden list for the year, as well as a tortrix (Dichrorampha sp.) which will require the attention of an expert."

Adam Bassett sent some more records from his garden in Marlow Bottom, Bucks, trapped on 14th April: Streamer, Brindled Pug, Double-striped Pug, Scalloped Hazel, Brindled Beauty, White-pinion Spotted, Lesser Swallow Prominent, Lunar Marbled Brown, Muslin Moth, Least Black Arches, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, Twin-spotted Quaker, Hebrew Character, Early Grey, Nut-tree Tussock and Herald. Also 2 Sexton Beetles in the box - nicrophorus humator.

Danny Howard sent this news on 15th April: "Not sure this counts but my first Puss Moth emerged last night (Cowley area) from some larvae I reared last year!"

Puss Moth Photo © Danny Howard

~ Monday 16th April 2007 ~

Peter Hall sent an updated graph showing the UTB Cumulative Species Count to mid March. The previous best tally for moths to the end of April is 76 and we’re already on 87.

UTB Cumulative Moth Species Count to mid- March (click chart to enlarge) Chart courtesy of Peter Hall

A quick update on the moths at Beenham from Derek Brown: "The numbers and diversity are starting to pick up now with 14 sps over the last 2 nights including a Great Prominent on the 13th and a Pebble Prominent on the 14th. I also had my first Frosted Green, Nut-Tree Tussock, Streamer and Powdered Quakers of the year."

Great Prominent Pebble Prominent Streamer Photo © Derek Brown Photo © Derek Brown Photo © Derek Brown

On the night of the 13th April Ched George had his first Radnage garden record of Great Prominent and on the 14th he had his 3rd garden record for Acleris literana.

The following was received from Les Finch on 14th April: "The recent spell of fine weather has no doubt been responsible for some of the earliest recorded flying dates in VC22. In the last few days, the following have been noted in the garden (Maidenhead) in addition to other species reported earlier this week - Garden Carpet (1 on 11th), Waved Umber (1 on 11th), and Muslin Moth (1 on 13th). A White-marked on 11th April was also a welcomed addition."

Waved Umber Muslin Moth Photo © Les Finch Photo © Les Finch

Dave Wilton sent this interesting report on 13th April: "I've had 15 Emperor Moth cocoons over-wintering in my garage in Westcott from some caterpillars found last year. A female emerged this morning so at lunchtime I placed her securely inside a roomy metal bird-feeder and suspended it from a branch of the Lime tree in our garden. Not really expecting anything to happen, I then went out for a couple of hours. When I came back at about 3pm I could see from the kitchen window what I thought was a Peacock bombing around the garden but it seemed to adopt some very strange behaviour - rummaging around in the garden vegetation. Venturing outside I could see that it was actually a male Emperor Moth! He kept flying around the garden searching for the female and took almost an hour to locate her even though as soon as I saw him I took the female out of the feeder and placed her in full view on the trunk of the tree. Mating took place immediately after he landed and lasted for about two hours. So, the male being a "wild" Bucks specimen, you can now add Emperor Moth to the UTB list. My trip out this afternoon took me back yet again to the disused railway line west of Westcott Airfield where I saw Pyrausta aurata (4) and managed to get a picture of a female Common Heath."

Emperor Moth Common Heath Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

Alan Gudge sent the following report from Frieth, Bucks, on 13th April: "Just browsing the moth sightings page and noticed Pine Beauty was recorded on 8th April by Derek Brown. We also had a Pine Beauty in our garden trap last night (12th April). We also had two new species for our garden last night: White-marked and Early Tooth-striped plus 11 other species with a total of 33 moths, the best night for us this year so far."

~ Thursday 12th April 2007 ~

Just received from Nigel Partridge, a Least Black Arches trapped in his garden moth trap in Loosley Row on 12th April.

Least Black Arches Photo © Nigel Partridge

Last night, 11th April, Dave Maunder ran his garden m.v. trap in Aylesbury for the first time this year: "I got an early Lime Hawk-moth, plus 3 Light Brown Apple Moths and a Many-plume moth."

Dave Wilton has been out and about running his moth traps recently: "For three hours on 10th April I ran a 15wt actinic bulb suspended over a white sheet beside a sallow at the turning circle in the centre of Finemere Wood. Moths seen were Frosted Green (5), Streamer (1), Water Carpet (1), Brindled Pug (1, of the melanic form hirschkei), Early Thorn (3), Engrailed (5), Red Chestnut (2), Small Quaker (2), Common Quaker (6), Clouded Drab (7), Twin-spotted Quaker (1), Hebrew Character (1), Satellite (2), Chestnut (1) and Diurnea fagella (1). The following night, 11th April, I tried the same 15wt arrangement along the disused railway line west of Westcott Airfield but this proved disappointing, mainly because my chosen site was in the cutting and the night-time down-slope breeze meant that it got quite cold very quickly. All that I got for my trouble were Shoulder Stripe (1), Engrailed (2), Red Chestnut (2), Powdered Quaker (1), Common Quaker (1), Clouded Drab (1) and Semiocopsis steinkellneriana (4). I had also been to the cutting during the daytime and saw a single Common Heath there. Back home at Westcott I've continued to add new species to my garden list for the year but most are already on the UTB list: Brimstone Moth, Agonopterix purpurea, Agonopterix arenella (all 8th April), Endrosis sarcitrella (9th April) and Tawny Pinion (10th April)."

Water Carpet Frosted Green Photo © Dave Wilton Photo © Dave Wilton

David Redhead sent his first garden moth trap results from Littlemore, Oxford on 11th April: "Actually got my moth trap out at last on bank holiday Monday and recorded the following when I went through its contents the next morning (10th): Brindled Pug (2), Clouded Drab (9), Common Quaker (2), Early Thorn (1), Early Grey (1), Early Tooth- striped (1), Engrailed (1), Hebrew Character (15), Lead-coloured Drab (1), Oak Nycteoline (1), Pale Pinion (2), Small Quaker (12), Swallow Prominent (2), Twenty-plume Moth (2), Twin-spotted Quaker (1) making 15 species and 53 individuals. Not a bad start - I think Swallow Prominent may be a first for the UTB 2007 list. The Early Tooth-striped is a first for my garden list but only because I have not done too many pre-May moth traps before."

On 11th April Derek Brown sent the following from Beenham: "I trapped a Blossom Underwing on the 7th April. I was bit unsure on this so had it checked out by the County Moth Recorders (see top of this page) and they agree on the ID. This may be either a local resident or a migrant. Interestingly I had a second, (not the same individual), on the next night and we do have large numbers of Oaks nearby."

Eddie Napper sent his latest update on 11th April: "Records from the last few days from my garden in Wokingham and what I believe are new for the list. Overnight on 10/04/07 I ran a 30w actinic and results are a Red-green Carpet and White Shouldered House Moth (Endrosis sarcitrella). Overnight on 09/04/07 I ran a 125w MV and caught a Grey Pine Carpet and Eriocrania subpurpurella."

Nigel Partridge trapped another new species for the UTB 2007 Species list: "At Loosley Row on 10th April, a Water Carpet."

Tony Towner ran his garden trap in Tilehurst during the evening of 07/04/07 and all through the night: "Moths recorded were: Hebrew Character (5), Early Grey (1), Small Quaker (3), Common Quaker (3) and Shuttle-shaped Dart. It also attracted my first Caddis fly."

Shuttle-shaped Dart - showing the Shuttle-shaped Dart characteristic dark crest over the Photo © Tony Towner thorax that Darts have. Photo © Tony Towner

Les Finch sent this moth report on 10th April: "Regular garden trapping (Maidenhead) between 25th March and 9th April yielded: March Moth(3), Double-striped Pug(15), Brindled Beauty(1), Oak Beauty(1), Shuttle-shaped Dart(1), Small Quaker(76), Lead- coloured Drab(2), Powdered Quaker(1), Common Quaker(75), Clouded Drab(9), Twin- spotted Quaker(2), Hebrew Character(46), Early Grey(19), Chestnut(2), Angle Shades(4), and Pale Mottled Willow(7). In company with Bernard Clark, two MV lights were operated near to a small piece of local woodland on 7th April. These attracted March Moth(11), Brimstone Moth(1), Early Thorn(2), Lunar Marbled Brown(1), Small Quaker(25), Powdered Quaker(1), Common Quaker(10), Clouded Drab(3), Hebrew Character(2), Satellite(4), Chestnut(4), and Nut-tree Tussock(3). Below is an image of the Powdered Quaker trapped on 7 April."

~ Wednesday 11th April 2007 ~

Peter Holland ran his garden moth trap in Wallingford on 9th April and recorded single specimens of Early Thorn, Early Grey, Double Striped Pug and Chocolate-tip (plus two large burying beetles!).

Keith Mitchell sent this news from Stoke Goldington on 10th April: "In my Skinner trap this morning, along with the more usual Hebrew Character, Common and Small Quaker and Clouded Drab were two Blossom Underwing. This seemingly scarce moth has been annual here in April since 2004."

Shirley & John Spencer sent their latest records as follows: "7th April, Riseley, Early Grey 1, Hebrew Character 1, Oak Beauty 1. The Oak Beauty was a first for our garden and fortunately an easy moth to identify!"

Adam Bassett sent this report on 9th April: "I put my Skinner trap on for the first time this year on April 9th in my garden in Marlow Bottom and had the following records. Usual spring fare, but Buttoned Snout was new for the garden. This actually appeared on the lounge window as the box was put on: Semioscopis steinkellneriana, Streamer, Brindled Pug, Double-striped Pug, Early Thorn, Dotted Border, Engrailed, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Small Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, Twin-spotted Quaker, Hebrew Character, Chestnut, Nut-tree Tussock, Buttoned Snout.

Ched George sent the following report on 10th April: "Ypsolopha mucronella recorded at my Radnage garden trap on April 5th, whereas last night (9th) I had my first Double- striped Pug of the year. Also present were Hebrew Character (19) Common Quaker (16) Small Quaker (4), March Moth (4), Streamer (2), Clouded Drab (1), Brindled Beauty (1), Twin-spotted Quaker (2), Nut-tree Tussock (1) and Early Thorn (1). Not seen Shoulder- stripe yet."

Tom Stevenson ran his home made trap overnight on 9th April in Benson, Oxon: "Just 3 moths, an Emmelina monodactyla, Early Thorn and a Pale Mottled Willow."

~ Monday 9th April 2007 ~

Peter Hall ran his garden moth trap in Ballinger Common on 8th April and caught the following 12 species: Alucita hexadactyla (Twenty-plume), Emmelina monodactyla, March Moth, Early Thorn (see photo at top of page), Purple Thorn, Lunar Marbled Brown (see photo below), Small Quaker, Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, Twin-spotted Quaker, Hebrew Character and Nut-tree Tussock.

Jan Haseler sent this report today, 9th April: "We had our first moth-trapping expedition to the new extension to BBOWT's Moor Copse Reserve on Sunday 8th April and recorded 13 species of moth, including Epinotia immundana, Early Tooth-striped, Purple Thorn, Powdered Quaker, Nut-tree Tussock and a very early Nutmeg."

Martin Townsend sent the following record today, 9th April: "Found in Littlemore, Oxon by a friend, Roy Baker, a very early female Lime Hawk-moth was brought to me last week, fatally injured at the roadside on the 5th April."

Derek Brown had a couple of Pine Beauty moths in his trap in Beenham last night, 8th April, which is new to the UTB 2007 species list (see photo at top of page).

Keith Mitchell sent this report from Stoke Goldington on 8th April: "A new Micro with a distinctive resting posture at my front door lights on 4th April turned out to be an uncommon Ypsolopha mucronella which hasn't been reported to the UTB website since 1st April 2004."

Dave Wilton's moth trap in Westcott on 5th April brought him a fresh Nut-tree Tussock, a new moth for his garden list, taking it to 450 species.

~ Saturday 7th April 2007 ~

Nigel Partridge ran his garden moth trap in Loosley Row last night, 6th April: "I caught two species which are new for the species list - Dotted Chestnut and Tawny Pinion."

Derek Brown had an early Lunar Marbled Brown on 2nd April and several Brindled Beauty moths over the last 2 nights (6th and 7th April) in his garden at Beenham.

~ Wednesday 4th April 2007 ~

Nigel Partridge recorded Agonopterix arenella on 1st April, caught in Loosley Row, Bucks.

2nd April - Dave Wilton says he's been getting reasonable numbers of moths in his trap at Westcott over the past couple of weeks but few new species: "The only additions to my garden list for this year have been Oak Nycteoline (25th March plus another, different, specimen on 1st April), Powdered Quaker (28th March), Angle Shades (28th March) and Diurnea fagella (27th March)." Dave also reported the following on 3rd April: "the Vapourer eggs which I found near Marsh Gibbon, Bucks back in mid-February began to hatch today (3rd April) and I now have a large number of very hairy caterpillars barely 2mm in length!"

On 1st April Dave Maunder sent these recent moth sightings from Aylesbury: Grey Shoulder-knot (1 - see photo), Small Quaker, March Moth (1), Early Grey (1), Dotted Border (1), Emmelina monodactyla (10), Amblyptilia acanthadactyla (1) and Alucita hexadactyla (Many-plume Moth) (1).

Keith Mitchell reported the following on 31st March: "Not much to shout about in terms of moths attracted to light, but an unseasonal Pyrausta aurata was observed flitting about in my conservatory in Stoke Goldington this morning, 31st March, in the sunshine. We have lots of these in the summer on the Sage and Marjoram. I doubt whether the adults would overwinter so the chances are it's newly hatched from an indoor pupa. Whatever the circumstance, still an interesting record."

~ Wednesday 28th March 2007 ~

Jan Haseler sent this report today, 28th March: "There's an Early Thorn on the wall at Shinfield Park this morning and yesterday, 27th, there was a Double-striped Pug (also on the wall)."

~ Tuesday 27th March 2007 ~

26th March - Shirley and John Spencer sent their latest records from Riseley in Berks: On 24th March - Hebrew Character 2, Common Quaker 4, Small Quaker 12, Clouded Drab 2.

25th March - Les Finch has been running regular moth traps in his Maidenhead (Berks) garden since his last report: "Since my last posting (to 11th March) my garden trap has yielded March Moth(2), Streamer(2), Double-striped Pug(1), Oak Beauty(2), Small Quaker(61), Common Quaker(39), Clouded Drab(4), Hebrew Character(26), Pale Pinion(1), Early Grey(3), and Chestnut(1)."

~ Monday 19th March 2007 ~

Jan Haseler reported the following on 18th March: "Laurie and I ran a moth trap close to sallow blossom at Moor Copse for a few hours on Friday 16th March and took 12 species of moth, including White-marked, Red Chestnut and Brindled Pug."

Keith Mitchell sent the following report on 16th March: "I was pleasantly surprised to find a male Small Brindled Beauty (a first for me) on my doorstep in Stoke Goldington this morning, 16th, as records are few and far beween in North Bucks."

~ Thursday 15th March 2007 ~

Dave Wilton sent this update on 14th March: "Since my last report from Westcott I've added several new species to my garden list for the year, including Engrailed (10th), Early Grey (11th), Red Chestnut, Twin-spotted Quaker, Pale Pinion, Herald and Agonopterix ocellana (all 12th). These all came to the moth-trap apart from the Herald which was found flying around inside the garage."

Alastair Driver sent the following report on 13th March: "I had an amazingly productive night's trapping at Ali's Pond LNR Sonning, Berks, on Monday night, 12th March. Caught approximately 300 macros of 12 species, along with a single micro specimen - Diurnea fagella. New for my parish records were Pale Pinion, Powdered Quaker and Grey Shoulder-knot and new for the site were Pale Brindled Beauty and Oak Beauty."

Dave Maunder saw the following moths in Aylesbury recently: A Grey Shoulder-knot and Agonopterix Heracliana on 11th March and then Dotted Border (1) and Emmelina monodactyla (6), all seen resting on various fences while walking his children to school on 13th March. At a Brown Hairstreak egg hunt in the Piddington area on 12th March, Wendy Campbell found an Oak Eggar caterpillar on blackthorn. Photos were taken by Wendy Wilson and sent to Martin Townsend who confirmed the species.

~ Monday 12th March 2007 ~

Sheila and Eric Dunford had a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in their garden in Marcham Oxon today (12th), nectaring on Aubretia.

~ Sunday 11th March 2007 ~

Dennis Dell recorded a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in his garden in Aylesbury, Bucks today (11th) at 5pm. It was nectaring on a Pulmonaria flower. The temperature was 11 degrees.

Nigel Partridge reported two new species for the sightings list today: Diurnea fagella (male) and Twin-spotted Quaker, both caught 11-3-07, Loosley Row.

Les Finch ran an actinic light in his Maidenhead garden overnight on 11th March: "It attracted a Brimstone Moth. This is the earliest date that I’ve recorded this species and no doubt this is a reflection of the recent spell of mild weather. Daily trapping since my last report has yielded March Moth(1), Double-striped Pug(1), Dotted Border(1), Small Quaker(37), Lead-coloured Drab(1), Common Quaker(44), Hebrew Character(16), Early Grey(4), Chestnut(1) and Angle Shades(2)." ~ Saturday 10th March 2007 ~

Tony Towner found his first moth for 2007 sitting on the front door at his home in Tilehurst, Berks: "It was a Light Brown Apple Moth on 01/03/07. This was also my first species last year (15/02/06). I ran my garden trap for the 3rd time this year on 10th March and at last was successful. Previous attempts on 19/01/07 & 16/02/07 drew a blank. Moths recorded were: Early Grey (1) : Small Quaker (4) : Hebrew Character (1) : Common Quaker (1)."

Shirley & John Spencer sent this report on 9th March: "I have at last something to report from Riseley, Berks! Our first attempt with the lightbox in February failed to attract any moths, but on March 7th we caught the following: Dotted Border 1, Hebrew Character 1, Small Quaker 4."

Nigel Partridge sent the following report on 9th March: "Here are two for the sightings list. The first is a Shoulder-stripe, the other is a Pale Pinion. These both were caught 8-3- 07, Loosley Row, Bucks."

Dave Wilton sent his latest report on 8th March: "On 6th March my 125wt MV Robinson was left on all night in the garden at Westcott and it brought in March Moth (1), Shoulder Stripe (1), Dotted Border (3), Small Quaker (4), Common Quaker (5), Clouded Drab (2), Hebrew Character (1) and Emmelina monodactyla (1). Having released them all at the other end of the village I tried the Robinson again on 7th March, this time using a twin 30wt actinic set-up. By 10.30pm, when I switched it off because the temperature had fallen almost to zero, it had brought in Oak Beauty (1), Dotted Border (3), Small Quaker (3), Lead-coloured Drab (1), Common Quaker (2), Clouded Drab (1) and Hebrew Character (2). The two Drabs are illustrated below, the slightly smaller Lead-coloured Drab on the left and the Clouded Drab on the right. The easiest way to tell the males apart is by their antennae, the Lead-coloured's being visibly feathered even to the naked eye while those on the Clouded are not, although they do have rows of small stumps when viewed with a hand lens. I ran the actinic trap again tonight, 8th March, for a couple of hours and managed to add Early Thorn (2) and Satellite (1) to my species list for the year so it looks as if the season is officially under way!

~ Wednesday 7th March 2007 ~

7th March - A few moths seen recently in Aylesbury by Dave Maunder: Dotted Border (2, on 27th Feb.), Pale Brindled Beauty (1 on 4th March), Shoulder-stripe (1 on 7th March) and Emmelina monodactyla (1 also on 7th).

The following report was received from Brian Clews on 6th March: "I saw a Hummingbird Hawk-moth at Sheepdrove Farm, Lambourn, Berks this afternoon."

~ Monday 5th March 2007 ~

On 4th March Dave Wilton sent this report: "Last night in my garden at Westcott I managed to get into double-figures for the first time this year, with Common Quaker (6), Hebrew Character (4) and Agonopterix heracliana (1). Three of the Quakers and two of the Hebrew Characters were found by torchlight, nectaring on the flowers of Mahonia. When newly emerged the Hebrew Character is a bit more than "just another brown job" and has some quite intricate patterns on its wings, as can be seen on the photo below."

As a result of the decision to include all moth life stages in the species list, David Redhead and Dave Wilton reported the following on 1st March: "A Brown Hairstreak egg hunt at Bullingdon Prison, Oxon, on 26th January produced 17 Blue-bordered Carpet eggs, 2 *Figure of Eight eggs and a "ring" of about 200 Lackey eggs, all on blackthorn, as well as plenty of the target species. Eggs of all three moths have been seen elsewhere in Bucks and Oxon this winter but this may be the only occasion they've been recorded together in one place. Photos of Blue-bordered Carpet eggs (taken at a site near Bicester, Oxon, in January) and *Figure of Eight egg (from Finemere Wood, Bucks, in February) are shown below."

On the adult moth front Dave Wilton also reported the following on 1st March: "The only item of note recently in my garden trap at Westcott has been an early Clouded Drab on 24th February. I've been getting Common Quakers regularly since 20th February but otherwise it has just been the usual suspects (Dotted Border, Pale Brindled Beauty, Chestnut and Agonopterix heracliana)."

~ Tuesday 27th February 2007 ~

Les Finch ran a 15w actinic trap in his Maidenhead garden on 25th February: "The catch included a Small Quaker, whilst two hours last night, 26th, with a 125w MV at the local BBOWT reserve produced 1 Small Brindled Beauty, 1 Pale Brindled Beauty, 2 Engrailed, 2 Small Quakers, 1 Common Quaker and 1 Chestnut."

This report was sent by Mark Calway on 26th February: "At this time of year my trapping location at work can be particularly good - certainly far better than my garden even though they are only 2 miles apart. Later in the year the situation reverses with the garden producing more moths and more species. I ran the trap at work in Shinfield Park, Berks, on Sunday night 25th February and got a bumper catch, 43 moths of 13 species, as follows: Taxa 1025 Tortricodes alternella 17 1054 Acleris cristana 1 1061 Acleris literana 1 * 1663 March Moth (Alsophila aescularia) 1 1926 Pale Brindled Beauty (Phigalia pilosaria) 3 1930 Oak Beauty (Biston strataria) 1 1932 Spring Usher (Agriopis leucophaearia) 2 1934 Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria) 3 2182 Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda) 3 2187 Common Quaker (Orthosia cerasi) 6 2190 Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica) 3 2258 Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) 1 2259 Dark Chestnut (Conistra ligula) 1 * *1st for this Shinfield Park site

On 24th February in his garden in Beenham, Berks, Derek Brown trapped: 1x Common Quaker and 1x Small Quaker.

Mark Calway sent the following report on 24th February: "Below is a photo of a Double- striped Pug that I found this morning (24th Feb 2007) in Earley, Berkshire. It's very fresh with the wing fringes intact. This is a particularly early record. It flew into my face as I went into the greenhouse in my garden, so I imagine that it delevoped on one of the plants in the greenhouse."

24th February: A few more moths seen by Dave Maunder around Aylesbury this week were: Pale Brindled Beauty (2) and Emmelina monodactyla (2).

On 23rd February, Les Finch reported that the recent spell of mild weather seems to have been recognised by moths: "My garden moth trap in Maidenhead, Berks, proffered 3 Common Quakers on 19th, whilst Spring Usher, Pale Brindled Beauty, Chestnut, Hebrew Character and Dotted Border have all been represented within the last few days. Last night (22nd) I took an Early Grey (see photograph below) which possibly constitutes the earliest recorded date in VC22 in recent times."

Thanks to Peter Hall for producing the following chart which shows the UTB Cumulative Moth Species to the end of January 2007 compared to the last 3 years:

UTB Cumulative Moth Species (click chart for larger image) Chart courtesy of Peter Hall ~ Tuesday 20th February 2007 ~

Derek Brown finally managed some moths in the trap in his garden at Beenham last night, 19th February: 1 x Grey Shoulder-knot; 1 x Chestnut; and 1 x Common Quaker.

Ched George sent this update yesterday, 19th February: "Although I have not spent many hours trapping away from my respective gardens at this time of year, a first for me on the night of February 17th was recording all the following 4 species on one night - Early Moth, Spring Usher, Pale Brindled Beauty and March Moth. Acleris cristana, Satellite, Chestnut and Emmelina monodactyla were also present. On the 18th February I had a male Oak Beauty. All records from my Radnage garden in Bucks."

Dave Maunder, Aylesbury, said there hasn't been much to report recently: "Just one Agonopterix ocellana at my kitchen window tonight, 18th February."

Keith Mitchell, Stoke Goldington, Bucks, sent the following unusual photos of the wingless female Pale Brindled Beauty, taken on 26th January:

~ Friday 16th February 2007 ~

Les Finch has recorded the following moths in his garden in Maidenhead, Berks, since 3rd February: Light Brown Apple Moth 1 on 15th; Pale Brindled Beauty 1m on 4th, 3m on 13th, 1m on 15th; Dotted Border 1 on 15th, 1 on 16th (not the same as 15th); Chestnut 1 on 12th, 1 on 13th.

Keith Mitchell sent the following report today, 16th February: "Five Pale Brindled Beauty (inculding one dark f.monacharia) were attracted to my front door lights in Stoke Goldington, Bucks, on Thursday February 15th."

Following two weeks of unsuitable weather Dave Wilton ran the MV trap again at Westcott on 11th February: "It brought in four moths: Pale Brindled Beauty (1), Early Moth (1) and Dark Chestnut (2). Also, while searching for Brown Hairstreak eggs near Marsh Gibbon, Bucks, on 13th February I found some Vapourer Moth eggs and a Drinker Moth caterpillar. The wingless female Vapourer lays her eggs on the outside of the cocoon from which she hatched and this is the second one of these egg batches I've found on blackthorn this year. The male is a bit of a nuisance during August and September when his erratic flight in search of the sedentary female, often conducted in daylight, can cause confusion with the Brown Hairstreak! The Drinker caterpillar was about 2cm in length and they are encountered regularly on sunny days during the winter months."

~ Monday 5th February 2007 ~

Jan Haseler sent in the following moth sightings today: "On 30th January, a wall next to an external light at Shinfield Park had 1 Early Moth, 1 Spring Usher, 2 Tortricodes alternella and 1 Pale Brindled Beauty."

~ Sunday 4th February 2007 ~

Welcome to the website new contributor Jane Muir who lives in Wingrave near Aylesbury, Bucks. Jane sent the following report on 3rd February: "As it had been a warm day I ran my garden trap on 31st January - 1 Hebrew Character."

On 3rd February Les Finch sent this update from Maidenhead, Berks: "Nightly trapping sessions in the garden over the last two weeks have produced no more than Light Brown Apple Moth - 4, Pale Brindled Beauty - 4, Spring Usher - 2, Chestnut - 1, and Dark Chestnut - 2."

3rd February - Dave Maunder's latest news from Aylesbury, Bucks: "A few more recent moths seen on fences and in porches in Aylesbury were:- Early moths (3), and Emmelina monodactyla (3)."

~ Thursday 1st February 2007 ~

Dave Wilton reported the following on 30th January: "I've had no further luck with my garden moth trap at Westcott, despite having run it on several occasions during January when the weather seemed suitable. However, a sign of an improvement in my fortunes came last night (29th) with the appearance of an Agonopterix heracliana at our kitchen window." Then on 31st January Dave managed to get three moths in his garden trap: Pale Brindled Beauty and two Early Moths.

~ Monday 29th January 2007 ~

Jan Haseler found a White-shouldered House Moth in one of her kitchen cupboards on 26th January.

~ Friday 19th January 2007 ~

Les Finch sent the following update on his garden moth traps in Maidenhead, Berks: "I’ve run at least one trap every night during the past two weeks, the only visitors being Dark Chestnut (16th and 17th Jan), a Spring Usher (17th Jan), a Pale Brindled Beauty (19th Jan), plus a Red Admiral butterfly (16th Jan - inside the trap!)"

The following report was received from Dave Maunder on 18th January: Only two more moths seen recently in Aylesbury - Early moth (1, on 17th), and Emmelina monodactyla (1, on 14th). I've recently repaired my old moth trap and choke, so if we get any decent weather this year I may be able to run it! I'll still keep my normal `around town` sightings coming in as well.

Mark Calway sent the following report from Earley, Reading on 15th January: "I had a Spring Usher on the wall at work in Shinfield Park, Berkshire, today, 15th January 2007. Other moths so far this year: Winter moths on 8 days, Mottled Umbers on 9 days.

Alastair Driver kicked off his mothing year on Sunday evening, 14th January with a Dotted Border which came to his porch light in Sonning, Berks.

~ Thursday 11th January 2007 ~

7th January - Les Finch sent the following records for his garden moth traps in Maidenhead during the first week of January: Spring Usher - 1 on 5th January, Mottled Umber - 2 on 2nd January; Grey Shoulder-knot - 1 on 3rd January and Silver-Y (quite fresh) - 1 on 4th January.

Jan Haseler sent some 2007 moth sightings for Berkshire on 7th January: - Tue 2nd January, Shinfield Park - 3 Mottled Umber, 1 Winter Moth, 1 Emmelina monodactyla - Fri 5th January, Tilehurst - 1 Chestnut, 1 Light Brown Apple Moth.

~ Saturday 6th January 2007 ~

Peter Hall starts his season off at Ballinger Common, Bucks, with Winter Moth and Chestnut on 6th January 2007.

Martin Harvey managed to run his moth light on Friday 5th January at Great Kimble, Bucks for half an hour or so before rain stopped play: It was long enough to attract my first moth of the year, a Silver-Y. First time I've seen this in January.

Dave Maunder sent the following report from Aylesbury, Bucks, on 6th January: My only