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

Tuesday, 11 August 2026

Mostly Nutmegs

The garden trap is currently dominated by Nutmegs. I find it really odd these population explosions.

Trapping a mile away at the nearby fen I recorded only 1 recently, over 4 traps! On Thursday night I got to 108 by the morning.
I took a picture of just one of the outside trays, covered in Nutmegs!
 
I have had this explosion experience before way back on the 25th of May 2011 on my parents old farm, post below.
 
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2967709613991032655/3653422830189891010
 
That night I recorded no less than 220 Nutmegs over 3 traps!  
 
Some returning macros including Oak Hook-tip and Treble-bar.
 
Best moth of the night was a tiny Endothenia oblongana, confirmed by checking the upper side of the hindwing. 
A scarce moth here in Cambs, but probably less scarce than we think, due to people discounting them as marginea or gentianaeana.
The very pale white transversal band towards the tornal area can be a general indicator of this species. 
 
It is moth no.958 for the garden. 

Another heat wave coming up, heatwave number 11786.

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 646 species 
 
06/08/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap
 
Micro Moths

Endothenia oblongana 1 [NFG]
 
Treble-bar

Endothenia oblongana

Endothenia oblongana

Nutmegs!

Oak Hook-tip

Pyrausta despicata

 
Posted by Bennyboymothman at 20:02