A round up of the Best Moths of 2010

Well it is that time again! tieing up the records for another year! and what a year it has been!! I've had highs and lows of mothing out and about, including new species, new site finds and a 2nd ever record for the county of Essex for one moth in particular.
Lowlights have been obviously my sudden move from my previous garden, which done me proud over nearly 4 years from 2007. The garden was the holy grail of mothing for me and will always be remembered as it was where I started my hobby in. Many were surprised at what turned up in that cottage garden!

I've only concentrated on the Macro species of moths, the micros well there is just too many to list for this year.

Join me through my descriptions of the best moths that I had the pleasure of catching using the moth-traps.

Plate












Starting from Clockwise......


1. Beautiful Snout

A county 2nd record for this species was discovered at Canvey Wick in Essex on the most memorable night of mothing ever which comprised of 136 macro species and 22 micro species of moth. The moth in question was potted up by Don Down and identified instantly, what a striking moth!

2. Frosted Green

This moth I was hoping for during the previous spring when I was successful in finding large numbers of Yellow Horned at Parndon Wood, low and behold this year saw my first sightings of this magnificient coloured moth with no less that 4 turning up to my lighted sheet one mild evening.

3. Garden Tiger

This moth was a sighting that had long been over-due, having seen plenty of the larvae nicknamed 'wooly-bears' during my childhood, but never ever setting my eyes on the adult moth.
This stunningly fresh specimen came in to the light right at the last minute at 2am on that same amazing night down at Canvey Wick.

4. Kent Black Arches

Another species tick, and yet another good record from the Canvey Wick Site, it's name is not so apt as it use to be, spreading from the original stronghold for this species within the County of Kent.

5. Lesser Cream Wave

I told you this was the best night for mothing ever! another new species for me, this and Rosy Wave were fighting for the top 10, but this won as it was the only one seen on the night (Rosys numbered in the high single-figures respectively) both very pretty and delicate moths.

6. Netted Pug

A new Pug for my old cottage garden surprised in the form of the Netted Pug, not the freshest specimen but wow! totally unexpected as tis species favours coastal areas.

7. Satyr Pug

This moth was a very slim target at my local Sawbridgeworth Marsh, I'd read about small sporadic records of this moth which has characterised black and white chequered markings along the veins of it's forewings.
A lucky capture as well, this was netted just as I was walking to the trapping site! surely my best Pug species to date.

8. Ruddy Carpet

I remember a few years back reading of Nick Smith's captures of Ruddy Carpet's, looking in my books, I said to myself yes i'd like to see that one! and barely into July this turned up in my trap at Hatfield Broad Oak, woah and fresh as well! it was to be one of my last moths at my previous address...sob!

9. Lappet

Another Canvey Wick capture, we had a few of these as they came blundering in both male's and female's, settling quite a distance from the traps on the concrete, these must be seen to be believed at how big they are!

10. Crescent Striped

An extremely rare moth restricted to coastal sites, after looking at this battered moth several times on the night it was clear that this was no Dark Arches....many different opinions later, it was confirmed as an accountable record of Crescent Striped!


Thanks for reading
Ben Sale

Please see the 2009 best moth's HERE