Purple chocolate kittens

Purple Bar

What a lovely weekend!  The warm weather has certainly upped the mothing in recent evenings.  Now up to about 40 (macro) species with the weekends lighlights being Poplar Kitten (tbc), Chocolate-tip, and a stunning Purple Bar.

Here are the lists for the three nights:
27th May
1998 Poplar Kitten - 1
17 Common Swift - 17
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart - 1
2007 Swallow Prominent - 1
2337x Marbled Minor agg. - 2
2389 Pale Mottled Willow - 1
1776 Green Carpet - 1
2019 Chocolate-tip - 1
2380 Treble Lines - 1
2061 Buff Ermine - 1
2088 Heart and Club - 1
2384 Vine's Rustic - 2
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot - 1

Chocolate-tip

26th May
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth - 1
2069 Cinnabar - 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart - 1
17 Common Swift - 2

Chinese Character

25th May
1937 Willow Beauty - 1
2389 Pale Mottled Willow - 1
17 Common Swift - 4
2334 Rustic Shoulder-knot - 1
2069 Cinnabar - 1
1981 Poplar Hawk-moth - 1
2092 Shuttle-shaped Dart - 2
1752 Purple Bar - 1
2145 Nutmeg - 1
1651 Chinese Character - 1

Captain Hook (tip)

28 moths of only seven species last night. 19 Common Swifts was a big count though. Not many other highlights mind you - the best of the rest was an Oak Hook-tip.

Hawk!

A giant Poplar Hawkmoth amongs a humongous haul from last night. The play for the hawk cup begins!

Humongous might be playing up the magnitude of last nights catch somewhat. However it was more than the three moths I catch usually. Other goodies included a Chocolate-tip, and a Bright-line brown-eye. Just got to sort out these pugs...

Some light entertainment

Moth numbers are still on the low side down my way but a light brocade was a very welcome addition last night.

Toad in the hole

I put the trap out last night and it turned out to be one of those 'quality not quantity' nights.  Only one moth caught - but it was a toadflax brocade.  At least that's what I think it is!

Just the two

A bit windy last night in Biggleswade, and only two moths in the trap this morning.  Two new ones for the year though - Spectacle, and Powdered Quaker.  Where did April go?

Sharky and George

After only catching three months in the whole of April, the warm weather on Tuesday gave me hope of finally catching some new species. An iron prominent, nut-tree tussock and red twin-spot carpet were all potted before I left the trap for the night, hoping for lots more goodies in the morning. Unfortunately the weather had other ideas, and when I checked the trap in the morning it was both very wet, and empty. On the sheet to the side though was one odd looking moth, which I quickly stuck in a pot. A brief check in the book later and it was clear I had some sort of Shark, and even better, the time of year and patterning made it look good for the much rarer Chamomile Shark, only recorded 23 times before in Bedfordshire! Photos were duly taken and sent off to the county recorder, and confirmation soon followed, result!