Hotting Up!

Update 12.3.19

After a very good start to 2019 there can be no complaints about the moths we have been finding.  However, with the weather turning cold and rather windy again, the moths have slowed down considerably.  There is just a glimmer of things to come, though, with increasing numbers in the trap this week.

Orthosias are among the early arrivals and there has been a steady increase in numbers over the last week or so.  The night of the 8th March I had several Common Quakers in my home trap and Orthosias began turning up at other locations such as the A12 toilet block and outside lights.  On 11th March I had 17 moths including 7 Common Quaker, 7 Hebrew Character and Early Greys.  There was even a March Moth in my trap; a rather infrequent visitor to my garden.

Orthosia Selection 

Numbers are on the increase at Hundred River Farm too; last week the total catch comprised just 4 Common Quakers but by 11th there was a respectable 44 moths of 3 species.  The best of the catch were 26 Small Quaker.   Until then I'd only seen 3 so far in 2019!

Some of the moths at Hundred River Farm 

A surprise find was a female Dotted Border found in the A12 toilet block on the way home from the Suffolk Moth Group indoor meeting on the 9th March. With 5 male Dotted Borders also in and around the toilet block it is likely that the female was brought in by a flying male whilst in cop.

Female Dotted Border 

Both Peter and myself have caught Grey Shoulder-knots this week; always a pleasure to see these very smart-looking moths. 

Grey Shoulder-knot

So we're only in the first third of March and we have recorded 56 species of moth including early stages. A great start to the year!  We just need to get Storm Gareth out of the way and return to some more settled weather and we'll be back on track.