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, I have now removed commenting as the bots were starting to appear
Contact Email : bensale@rocketmail.com

My Latest Notables and Rarities

Sunday, 17 May 2026

Wet and warmer

The nights start to improve now as we head towards a potential heatwave starting around Thursday, a mildish night with lows of 10 degrees last night, but rather damp although the rain must have not come to much in the end.

45 moths of 25 species was a respectable return given the conditions.

Highlights included year first macros of Blood-vein and two very different Large Yellow Underwings, and a very late (possibly my latest ever) Clouded Drab.

Seconds for the year of May Highflyer and Poplar Kitten were also most welcome. 

Micros picked up as well, with none present on the last two outings, to 5 species seen last night.

Come on warm weather, we've waited long enough! 
 
Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 184 species 
 
16/05/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap
 
Macro Moths 

Blood-vein 1 [NFY]
Large Yellow Underwing 2 [NFY]
Clouded Drab 1
Common Pug 1
Common Swift 2
Flame Shoulder 2
Garden Carpet 1
Heart & Dart 4
Marbled Minor 1
May Highflyer 1
Pebble Prominent 1
Poplar Kitten 1
Rustic Shoulder-knot 1
Shears 1
Shuttle-shaped Dart 5
Swallow Prominent 1
Treble Lines 6
Turnip Moth 2
Vine's Rustic 1
Yellow-barred Brindle 1

Micro Moths 

Celypha striana 1 [NFY]
Crambus lathoniellus 1 [NFY]
Aphomia sociella 1 [NFY]
Epiphyas postvittana 5
Evergestis forficalis 1
 
Blood-vein

Celypha striana

Large Yellow Underwing & Clouded Drab

Large Yellow Underwings

May Highflyer

Poplar Kitten

 
Posted by Bennyboymothman at 15:31