Migrant Moth Influx

I haven't done much moth trapping over the last few weeks, well since the Convolvulus Hawkmoth, mostly due to the unsuitable weather conditions.  However last week I could see in the forecast that the nights of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were looking promising with temperatures not due to drop below 15 degrees (they remained at 17c on one night in fact!).  And with a blustery south westerly wind blowing, I hoped that migrant moths would be well represented, which they indeed were...

This weather produced an actual influx of migrant moths into my garden.  Mostly micros, but it involved numbers of migrant species I simply don't usually trap in Seaton.  

My migrant totals from the three nights were: 101 Box-tree Moth, 71 Rusty-Dot Peal, 42 Rush Veneer, 17 Olive-tree Pearl, 4 Dark Sword Grass, 2 Pearly Underwing, 2 Vestal and singles of Silver Y, White-speck and Clancy's Rustic.  Who knows how far the 17 Blair's Mocha, 5 Four-spotted Footman and 3 Portland Ribbon Waves had travelled to get to my garden, but mentioning them in case they were migrants too.

Clancy's Rustic

White-speck

The second of my two Vestals - neither were that red

Pearly Underwing

Dark Sword Grass

So although no stand out rarity, plenty of variety and the Vestals, Clancy's Rustic and White-speck were all new species for the garden.

Apart from the migrants it was nice to catch a lovely Red Underwing on the Friday night, and my first ever Madder Pearl (also known as Coastal Pearl) the night before...

Not quite revealing its underwing, but could already tell it was going to be red and not blue

 

Good to see it though just to be sure!

Madder Pearl - a species that isn't all that common and mostly found in the south west

 

We seem to have gone into a much cooler spell of weather now, so that's the trap packed away until we get some warmth again, if we get any more this year that is.