VC68 North Northumberland

Hello all,

This is a bit like being an alcoholic where we have to 'come out' in public and admit that we prowl our gardens at night armed with a net.

I have been mothing in my garden since autumn 2009. We live in rural North Northumberland in Howick village set about 300 mtrs from the north sea and surrounded by mixed farmland.

So far I have recorded 445 species or forms ( according to MapMate) over the past three and a half years.

I run a single trap a 125w MV Robinson on the drive on about 5 nights per week on average when ever the weather allows. Its only freezing temps and gales that stop me really as the Robinson is impervious to the heaviest rain.

My trap site above. You can see in the bottom pic the trap usually rests on a white sheet.

Mothing up north is quite different to the south as we have less diversity of species, but we still get some nice ones.

Caloptilia hemidactylella 

Emperor

Lunar Thorn

Archers Dart

Great Brocade

A trio of MDJs

My totals so far this year have been pretty slow due to very cold and windy weather. 32 species so far.

288	Caloptilia stigmatella		1
648	Endrosis sarcitrella	White-shouldered House Moth	5
663	Diurnea fagella		5
672	Depressaria heraclei	Parsnip Moth	4
688	Agonopterix heracliana		20
697	Agonopterix arenella		3
1663	Alsophila aescularia	March Moth	9
1746	Anticlea badiata	Shoulder Stripe	3
1750	Lampropteryx suffumata	Water Carpet	15
1760	Chloroclysta siterata	Red-green Carpet	1
1775	Colostygia multistrigaria	Mottled Grey	1
1799	Operophtera brumata	Winter Moth	3
1852	Eupithecia abbreviata	Brindled Pug	1
1862	Gymnoscelis rufifasciata	Double-striped Pug	5
1881	Trichopteryx carpinata	Early Tooth-striped	3
1917	Selenia dentaria	Early Thorn	14
1926	Phigalia pilosaria	Pale Brindled Beauty	32
1932	Agriopis leucophaearia	Spring Usher	1
2139	Cerastis rubricosa	Red Chestnut	23
2182	Orthosia cruda	Small Quaker	9
2186	Orthosia gracilis	Powdered Quaker	33
2187	Orthosia cerasi	Common Quaker	61
2188	Orthosia incerta	Clouded Drab	58
2189	Orthosia munda	Twin-spotted Quaker	1
2190	Orthosia gothica	Hebrew Character	234
2236	Lithophane hepatica	Pale Pinion	1
2241	Xylena vetusta	Red Sword-grass	1
2243	Xylocampa areola	Early Grey	4
2256	Eupsilia transversa	Satellite	2
2258	Conistra vaccinii	Chestnut	7
2259	Conistra ligula	Dark Chestnut	2
2425	Colocasia coryli	Nut-tree Tussock	1

For more details see my blogs The Orthosia Enthusiast and From the Notebook

Night all...

Stewart.