Three more moths new for the year.

Sunday 21st May 2023.

White Ermine was new for the year.

Up at 5am again this morning to beat the House Sparrows to my moth box, but only just!! Ten minutes into checking for moths, they were there, checking every nook and cranny for their breakfast. One male House Sparrow actually hopped by my feet in search for a juicy moth!!! Seriously! It was another cool morning with a cloudless sky, but at least there were some nice moths in and around the box.

Above, my second Blair's Mocha of the year and below, a rather stunning Common Marbled Carpet moth. The latter was rather reluctant in leaving and landed on me a few times, but proved very difficult to photograph, hence the photo of the moth in the pot. 

My first White Ermine moth of the year was present this morning along with two micro moths, Platyedra subcinerea and Monopis crocicapitella, both of which regularly turn up annually in my garden. My second Blair’s Mocha, a really smart individual, was just inside the box and my first Common Marbled Carpet for my moth box of the year was also a smart piebald individual. 

Above, Platyedra subcinerea and below, Monopis crocicapitella which were both new for the year too.

Moths present this morning included the following:

• 1 Common Marbled Carpet
• 1 White Ermine (NFY)
• 5 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 2 Pale Mottled Willow
• 1 Blair’s Mocha
• 1 Double-striped Pug
• 1 Lime-speck Pug
• 1 Vine’s Rustic
• 23 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 3 Tachystola acroxantha
• 1 Brown House Moth
• 2 Bryotropha affinis
• 1 Eudonia angustia
• 1 Platyedra subcinerea (NFY)
• 1 Monopis crocicapitella (NFY)

From left to right: Eudonia angustea and two Light Brown Apple Moths. The Apple Moths come in various guises and can confuse the best of us in identifying the moth. They are actually an accidental import from Australia!