Welcome

Hello and welcome to my moth Blog. I now reside in a small village in East Cambridgeshire called Fordham. My Blog's aim is to promote and encourage others to participate in the wonderful hobby that is Moth-trapping.
Moth records are vital for building a picture of our ecosystem around us, as they really are the bottom of the food chain. They are an excellent early indicator of how healthy a habitat is. I openly encourage people to share their findings via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
So why do we do it? well for some people it is to get an insight into the world of Moths, for others it is to build a list of species much like 'Twitching' in the Bird world. The reason I do it....you just never know what you might find when you open up that trap! I hope to show what different species inhabit Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties.
On this Blog you will find up-to-date records and pictures.
I run a trap regularly in my garden and also enjoy doing field trips to various localities over several different counties.
Please also check out the links in the sidebar to the right for other people's Blogs and informative Websites.
Thanks for looking and happy Mothing!

KEY

NFY = New Species For The Year
NFG = New Species For The Garden
NEW! = New Species For My Records

Any Species highlighted in RED signifies a totally new species for my records.

If you have any questions or enquiries then please feel free to email me
Contact Email : bensale@rocketmail.com

My Latest Notables and Rarities

Friday 23 February 2024

Weekly moth round-up

Another mixed week of fortunes, some nights were quite cool windy and wet, and others were nigh on perfect and very unseasonably warm, with nights not dropping below 12 degrees, what a crazy February 2024 we've had.
Because I don't get time to take photos at the moment during the week (because the light is awful before 7am after 4pm) hopefully that'll change in a few weeks and I can keep up.
Fortunately moths are safe to keep in a fridge for a few days, sometimes longer if needed, regularly open the lid to allow fresh air in, and use the biggest container possible. 
 
This week has yielded 3 new for year species including a new moth for the garden, a smart Acleris literana and the second new garden Acleris species this year!

The Pine Beauty is always a great moth to get, one that I dipped on last year.
 
A bit nippy notes over the weekend so the trap stays in shelter.
 
Moth garden list for 2024 stands at 26 species
 
18/02/24 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

Macro Moths
 
Clouded Drab 1
Common Quaker 4
Hebrew Character 2
March Moth 1
 
Micro Moths
 
Acleris literana 1 [NFG]
Agonopterix alstromeriana 1
Agonopterix heracliana 1 


19/02/24 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

Macro Moths
 
Clouded Drab 1
Common Quaker 4
Hebrew Character 8
Oak Beauty 1
 
Micro Moths
 
Agonopterix heracliana 1 
Emmelina monodactyla 1 


20/02/24 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

Macro Moths
 
Black-spotted Chestnut 1 [NFY]
Pine Beauty 1 [NFY]
Angle Shades 2
Clouded Drab 1
Common Quaker 3
Dotted Border 1
Hebrew Character 4
 
Micro Moths
 
None Recorded!
 
Acleris literana

Black-spotted Chestnut

Pine Beauty

 

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