Mad start to May

Wow, what a good moth night last night was! The perfect conditions were there and moths responded, and with lows of 13 degrees and still holding up at 17 degrees when I went to bed at midnight, it certainly took a while to list everything.

Most moths came in 1s and 2s, but the sheer variety was astounding, with larger moths, smaller moths and some really tinys turning up, Shuttle-shaped Dart the clear winner, with 24 counted.

At dusk I did nearly an hours netting on the patio for 8 species, a fair return considering half were new for the year.

Highlights overnight from the trap included both Sallow and Poplar Kitten, the size difference was quite noticeable, although this was to be a non-helpful comparison, as the Sallow was a rather small male, and the Poplar was a huge female.

Other common moths were recorded for the first time and all very fresh, and everyone likes a neat as a pin Flame Shoulder.

To the lures during the day, two more Pammene suspectana turned up, proving this species well established here now, along with the first half a dozen Grapholita funebrana to its own lure.

It's been such slim pickings for a few weeks now, then BANG. Sadly it will be short-lived as we go cooler once more into the second half of the weekend. 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 142 species

01/05/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Common Pug 1 [NFY]
Coxcomb Prominent 1 [NFY]
Figure of Eighty 1 [NFY]
Flame Shoulder 3 [NFY]
Heart & Dart 1 [NFY]

Latticed Heath 1 [NFY]
Lime-speck Pug 1 [NFY]
Marbled Minor 2 [NFY]
Pale Mottled Willow 1 [NFY]
Poplar Hawk-moth 1 [NFY]
Poplar Kitten 1 [NFY]

Red Twin-spot Carpet 1 [NFY]
Sallow Kitten 1 [NFY]
Small Dusty Wave 2 [NFY]
Brimstone Moth 2
Brindled Pug 1
Chinese Character 2
Chocolate-tip 1
Common Quaker 2
Coronet 2
Garden Carpet 3
Iron Prominent 1
Knot Grass 1
Nutmeg 1
Oak-tree Pug 6
Ochreous Pug 2
Pale Tussock 2
Pinion-spotted Pug 1
Red-green Carpet 2
Ruby Tiger 1

Scorched Carpet 1
Seraphim 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart 24
Spectacle 1 
Turnip Moth 5
Water Carpet 1
Waved Umber 1
Willow Beauty 1
Yellow-barred Brindle 1

Micro Moths 

Anthophila fabriciana 1 [NFY] (netted)

Bucculatrix albedinella 1 [NFY]

Bucculatrix nigricomella 1 [NFY]

Bucculatrix ulmella 1 [NFY]

Cedestis subfasciella 1 [NFY]
Cydia pomonella 1 [NFY]
Dichrorampha acuminatana 1 [NFY] (netted)
Dichrorampha plumbagana 1 [NFY] (netted)

Elachista argentella 1 [NFY]
Endothenia gentianaeana/marginana 1 [NFY] (netted)
Grapholita funebrana 6 [NFY] (to FUN lure)

Prays fraxinella/ruficeps 1 [NFY]
Tinea trinotella 4 [NFY]

Agonopterix purpurea 1
Aphomia sociella 2
Cameraria ohridella 1 (netted)
Agonopterix purpurea 1 (netted)
Esperia sulphurella 1

Eudonia angustea 1
Mompha subbistrigella 3 (netted)
Pammene suspectana 2 (to ARG lure)
Phyllonorycter blancardella 1 (netted)
Platyedra subcinerea 2
Plutella xylostella 3

 

Marbled Minor

Poplar Kitten and Sallow Kitten

Bucculatrix albedinella

Bucculatrix ulmella

Cydia pomonella

Dichrorampha acuminata

Dichrorampha plumbagana

Flame Shoulder

 

A small but tidy catch

Not much last night on the last day of April. A warm day but once again we had a nagging breeze from the east.

Coupled with a clear sky and bright moon, it never really got going, dropping to 5 degrees by 5am.

 

There were however a pair of smashing camo moths sitting in the trap. I don't think i've ever had two on the same night in my garden before.

This was backed up by my first April record for Common Swift, and the uncommon Ochreous Pug.

 

Tonight looks rather good with cloud rolling in, fingers crossed! 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 115 species

30/04/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Common Swift 2 [NFY]
Lime Hawk-moth 1 [NFY]
Ochreous Pug 1 [NFY] 
Garden Carpet 1
Muslin Moth 3
Pinion-spotted Pug 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart 2
Turnip Moth 1
Yellow-barred Brindle 1

Micro Moths 

Epiphyas postvittana 3
Monopis crocicapitella 1

 

Ochreous Pug

Common Swift

Lime Hawk-moths

 

Paltry Pickings

Not much happening with the moths in my garden at the moment.

We are still importing cool easterlies and the wind has been something else, a reminder that we really still are in the depths of spring, warm days and cold nights ensue.

Last night I ran the trap for 10 hours for 7 species!

Only one was new, the ever reliable Garden Pebble. 

It's all on Friday night, then it goes a bit rubbish again.

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 112 species

29/04/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Brimstone Moth 1

Muslin Moth 3

Turnip Moth 3

Red-green Carpet 1
Waved Umber 1

Micro Moths 

Evergestis forficalis 1 [NFY]

Epiphyas postvittana 1 

 

Evergestis forficalis

 

Prolific netting

The trap hasn't been great lately, numbers are still a bit low, but new species are slowly appearing which is good to see.

Although it really is about the warm relatively still days that will be most prolific for moths at this time of year, particularly micro moths that are easy to disturb by sweeping vegetation or tapping bushes. Failing that, a spot of dusk netting when the weather feels warm and with little breeze are always the best conditions.

Last night was pretty much that, little breeze and warm enough for some interest.  

 

With no less than 7 species netted within an hour, and many more either lost or out of reach.

 

Rewind back to earlier, and two species were noteworthy before I even readied the trap, or the net. 

 

A cracking little Chrysoesthia sexguttella was spotted crawling up the back door in the morning at around 9am, and later on, the first Pammene suspectana was taken to the ARG lure after 4pm, a typical time for this enigmatic species.

 

Overnight there was a few bits and pieces, but just one new moth, the first of many Turnip Moths I suspect.

Giving it a miss tonight.

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 111 species

26/04/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Turnip Moth 1 [NFY]

Chocolate-tip 1
Double-striped Pug 2
Garden Carpet 4

Iron Prominent 1
Muslin Moth 5
Nut-tree Tussock 2

Oak-tree Pug 3

Pebble Prominent 2
Shuttle-shaped Dart 2

Micro Moths 

Chrysoesthia sexguttella 1 [NFY] Daytime
Monopis laevigella 1 [NFY] (netted)
Pammene suspectana 1 [NFY] (to arg lure)
Pseudoswammerdamia combinella 1 [NFY] (netted)
Elachista rufocinerea 2 (netted)
Endrosis sarcitrella 1 (netted)
Epiphyas postvittana 2 (netted)
Mompha subbistrigella 1 (netted)
Monopis crocicapitella 2 (netted)

 

Turnip Moth

Chrysoesthia sexguttella

Monopis laevigella

Pammene suspectana

Pseudoswammerdamia combinella

 

Micros start mounting up

With warmer days pushing 20 degrees now, but still rather cool nights (down to 2.8c last night) it is now worth running the trap more regularly, as it is taking longer for the temperature to drop.

Although rain is a pain, we desperately need some soon, as the ground is like concrete!

A couple of bonus moths were netted at dusk, although I missed a fair few, two were new species for the year.  

Overnight there was a good mix of macros and micros, the micros is where it really shone, with early records of one Tortrix and 2 Gelechids from the Scrobipalpa group.

 

The first of possibly many? Scrobipalpa ocellatella came to the actinic an hour or so after dusk, this was closely followed by a second, but it was certainly different under a hand lens, and it turned out to be Scrobipalpa atriplicella, a scarce moth here with just 2 previous records.

 

Seperated externally by the broader stubbier forewings and ocelli not being ringed with pale markings, instead they are edged in orange, and the general ground colour is must darker in atriplicella.

 

To be 100% and with worn specimens it is advised to have them dissected. 

 

Hopefully tonight might be more of the same? It certainly feels more humid this evening. 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 106 species

25/04/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

Chocolate-tip 1 [NFY]
Least Black Arches 1 [NFY]
Pebble Prominent 2 [NFY]

Yellow-barred Brindle 1 [NFY]
Brindled Pug 1
Double-striped Pug 1
Garden Carpet 1

Iron Prominent 1
Muslin Moth 3
Nut-tree Tussock 1
Red-green Carpet 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart 3

Micro Moths 

Monopis crocicapitella 1 [NFY] (netted)
Neocochylis dubitana 1 [NFY]
Nemapogon granella 1 [NFY] (netted)
Scrobipalpa atriplicella 1 [NFY]
Scrobipalpa ocellatella 1 [NFY]
Epiphyas postvittana 4

 

  

Scrobipalpa ocellatella

Scrobipalpa atriplicella

Pebble Prominent

Least Black Arches

Chocolate-tip - Sadly deceased from a Spider

Yellow-barred Brindle

 

 

Picking up

With a few nights off because of bitter night-time temperatures, it was time to set the trap up once more on Friday night.

Although the warm days are absolutely beautiful, the nights are still rather frigid and I wasn't expecting much.

 

8 species was rather low, but there were two newbies amongst them, and it was worthwhile netting at dusk for a couple of additions.

 

By midnight I switched off as it was down to 4c and by the morning only 1 degree! 

 

This was the first catch of the year without any spring Orthosia species present.  

 

To the lures I managed a garden 2nd Pammene argyrana to it's lure, a slightly grotty looking specimen but pleasing all the same.

I also atrracted the first for the year Carnation Tortrix to the bag of lures. The carrier bag must be impregnated with the scent as it hasn't failed to attract one over the last 4 years! 

 

An odd pale Phyllonorycter species that was netted has been retained. 

 

A Stigmella was keyed out as either crataegella or hybnerella, either would be new for the garden so will go down as an aggregate.

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 97 species

24/04/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

Garden Carpet 2 [NFY]
Toadflax Brocade 1 [NFY]

Brindled Beauty 1

Nut-tree Tussock 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart 3
Waved Umber 1

Micro Moths 

Cacoecimorpha pronubana 1 [NFY] 

Pammene argyrana 1 [NFY] (To arg lure) 

Stigmella crataegella/hybnerella 1 [NFG] (Netted)

Elachista rufocinerea 1 (Netted) 

Epiphyas postvittana 1

Phyllonorycter sp 1 (Netted) 

Platyedra subcinerea 1 

 

Toadflax Brocade

Cacoecimorpha pronubana

Garden Carpet

Pammene argyrana

Phyllonorycter sp

Stigmella crataegella/hybnerella

 

No Trap

No trapping here currently, it's just not worth it with this cold east wind and clear skies, hopefully better by the end of next week. A single Endrosis sarcitrella was new for the year list, found inside. Moth species no.92. Fordham, East Cambs.

Endrosis sarcitrella

 

Below average temperatures

April has been fairly unremarkable so far this year in terms of the weather, maybe we've been spoilt too much in previous years?

Day-time temperatures have been around average for the time of year, but there have been plenty of days inbetween that have been below average.

Night times are now as low as 3 degrees, cold enough for a light frost. 

1 new species was added to the year list last night, the smart Coronet.

Runner-up prize went to the second Pale Pinion of the year, a nice dark-marked specimen. 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 91 species

18/04/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

Coronet 1 [NFY]
Brimstone Moth 2
Clouded Drab 2
Common Quaker 2
Double-striped Pug 2
Frosted Green 1
Muslin Moth 7
Oak-tree Pug 2
Pale Pinion 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart 1
Swallow Prominent 1

Micro Moths 

Epiphyas postvittana 2

 

Pale Pinion

Coronet

 

Wicken Fen - Field Trip - 16th April

I made a trip to Wicken Fen last Thursday and setup 3 traps spread around the entrance area to Sedge Fen and one 100 metres South of the car park.

The day had been fairly mild at 17 degrees, nothing spectacular but with overcast conditions expected into the night, the temperature was hopefully going to hold up in the lows teens, and luckily that was the case.

 

The only caveat was a brisk westerly wind that started to whip up an hour in. It got fairly strong at one point, and it was blowing my sheet and egg trays everywhere, so I decided to pack up the two exposed traps, and leave the sheltered ones on until at least midnight.

 

Moths were rather slow to come to all of the traps, a smattering here and there and no particular volume, but the variety of species was most pleasing.

 

Several Reed Daggers were Cambs earliest records by over 2 weeks, a continuing trend year on year as early emergence records are broken. 

On the otherside, a single Grey Shoulder-knot was getting on for being too late, I very rarely see them post-hibernation past March. 

 

The micro moths were dominated by numerous species of Elachista & Agonopterix, 2 Agonopterix heracliana/ciliella were retained, and both have since been identified as ciliella.  

 

The biggest shock of the night was a whacking great Red Sword-grass, spotted along the boardwalk next to one of the traps.

This is a new moth for me and also for Wicken Fen! 2nd county record and firdt recorded in 1992! Unbelievable.

 

My thanks to Joe and Tim for the access. 

 

16/04/26 - Wicken Fen - East Cambridgeshire - 1x 125w Clear MV Trap, 1x 250w Clear Robinson Trap, 1x 40w/22w Bucket Trap & 1x 160w MBT Trap

Macro Moths

Bright-line Brown-eye 
Brindled Pug 
Chinese Character 
Clouded Drab 
Common Quaker 
Dotted Chestnut 
Double-striped Pug 
Early Tooth-striped 
Engrailed 
Frosted Green 
Hebrew Character 
Latticed Heath 
Least Black Arches 
Nut-tree Tussock 
Oak-tree Pug 
Pale Prominent 
Pale Tussock 
Pebble Hook-tip 
Pebble Prominent 
Powdered Quaker 
Purple Bar 
Reed Dagger 3
Red Chestnut 
Red Sword-grass
Ruby Tiger 
Spectacle 
Swallow Prominent 
V-pug 
Waved Umber 

Micro Moths

Agonopterix alstromeriana 
Agonopterix arenella 
Agonopterix ciliella 
Agonopterix heracliana 
Agonopterix ocellana 
Agonopterix purpurea 
Agonopterix yeatiana
Cameraria ohridella 
Depressaria daucella
Elachista canapennella
Elachista maculicerusella 
Elachista rufocinerea 
Emmelina monodactyla 
Epiphyas postvittana 
Mompha epilobiella 
Monopis crocicapitella 
Parornix sp 
Plutella xylostella 
Psyche casta (case)

Reed Dagger

160w MBT Trap

Agonopterix ciliella

Agonopterix yeatiana

Depressaria daucella

Elachista maculicerusella

Elachista rufocinerea

Grey Shoulder-knot

Red Sword-grass

 

Cooler, a sign of things to come.

Last night was a little cooler than of late, with lows dipping into single figures for the first time in nearly a week, and therefore the tally dropped a bit.

But it was still worth it for 4 new species overnight, and a bonus micro found sitting on the shed whilst I was checking my lure bucket traps.

 

The fourth Acleris literana was worthy of a mention, not usually a common moth here.

 

A bit cold at night now sadly, but we'll see.

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 90 species

17/04/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

 

Nutmeg 1 [NFY]
Pale Tussock 1 [NFY]
Waved Umber 2 [NFY]
Brimstone Moth 1
Brindled Beauty 2
Chinese Character 1
Clouded Drab 4
Common Quaker 1
Double-striped Pug 4
Frosted Green 2

Knot Grass 2
Muslin Moth 1
Oak-tree Pug 3
Shuttle-shaped Dart 2
Swallow Prominent 3

 

Micro Moths

 

Esperia sulphurella 1 [NFY] (Daytime) 

Eudonia angustea 1 [NFY]
Acleris literana 1
Epiphyas postvittana 6
Elachista canapennella 1

Pammene giganteana 1 (To ARG Lure)

 

Waved Umber

Acleris literana

Elachista canapennella

Esperia sulphurella

Eudonia angustea

Knot Grass

Nutmeg

Pale Tussock

 

Earliest ever Willow Beauty

I trapped my earliest Willow Beauty on Thursday night, a rather small specimen more akin to the late summer third broods, I guess it's pupated a little early and emerged rapidly. 

It was good to see some more of the returning common species as well. The temperature stayed just into double figures all night, but with a gusty wind once more by dawn.

The best moth of the night was a slightly worn Depressaria radiella, a moth that should be much more common than it is, this is only the 3rd garden record in 5 years. It feeds from various varieties of Umbelliferae which is prolific pretty much everywhere.

Whether it's not strongly attracted to light? or maybe it is easy pickings to be predated on within the stems of the dead plants over winter, who knows. 

 

After the warm day of 20 degrees on Thursday, I made a trip out as I knew it would be turning cooler at nights now for at least a week.

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 85 species

16/04/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

 

Angle Shades 1 [NFY]
Iron Prominent 1 [NFY]
Seraphim 3 [NFY]
Spectacle 1 [NFY]
Streamer 1 [NFY]

Willow Beauty 1 [NFY]
Chinese Character 1
Clouded Drab 2
Common Quaker 1
Double-striped Pug 4
Early Grey 2
Hebrew Character 2
Nut-tree Tussock 4
Oak-tree Pug 4
Pale Prominent 1
Pine Beauty 1
Red Chestnut 1
Swallow Prominent 2

 

Micro Moths

 

Depressaria radiella 1 [NFY]
Elachista canapennella 1 [NFY]
Epiphyas postvittana 3 

 

Willow Beauty

Angle Shades

Depressaria radiella

Iron Prominent

Seraphim

Streamer