Early May Sunny Days

Saturday was a lovely warm day, if a bit breezy at times (as we found out when we went fishing)

The night was once again clear, but it didn't drop as much this time, as we imported some milder air from the continent on a South-easterly air flow, still not stellar but it stayed around 10 degrees all night. 

A great array of moths were attracted to the lights overnight, it being far too breezy to bother netting at dusk.

The first specimens of sometimes the most common moths, are always special to me. Take the uber abundant Heart & Dart as an example, the year first had a lovely purple/red hue along the edge of its wings, and barely a scale out of place. 

Best moth for me was the apple loving tiny, Callisto denticulella (Aptly named the Apple Nymph) nearly an annual moth here, dipping on one last year.

My second favourite was again, one of the common pugs in my garden, the Lime-speck Pug.

Again, another super fresh moth and worthy of it's portrait.

 

We had warm days on Sunday/Monday and the trap was busier, although a cooler day today, I wonder what tonight will bring.

Moth garden list for 2025 stands at 183 species

10/05/25 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

Macro Moths

Heart & Dart 1 [NFY]
Lime-speck Pug 1 [NFY] 
Chinese Character 2
Common Pug 3
Common Wainscot 1
Coronet 1
Garden Carpet 3
Grey Pine Carpet 1
Latticed Heath 1
Least Black Arches 1
Muslin Moth 2
Puss Moth 1 
Shuttle-shaped Dart 2
Waved Umber 1
Yellow-barred Brindle 1


Micro Moths 

Callisto denticulella 1 [NFY]
Celypha striana 1 [NFY]
Prays fraxinella/ruficeps 1 [NFY]
Cameraria ohridella 1
Cochylis atricapitana 1
Epiphyas postvittana 3
Mompha subbistrigella 1
Neocochylis dubitana 2
Parornix sp 1
Platyedra subcinerea 1
Plutella xylostella 1
Scrobipalpa ocellatella 1

Prays fraxinella/ruficeps

Callisto denticulella

Celypha striana

Heart & Dart

Least Black Arches

Lime-speck Pug

Neocochylis dubitana