Another quiet moth morning.

Tuesday 1st August 2023.

Mother of Pearl moth.

A cool, blustery westerly wind kicked off the new month, with a few clouds overhead, but was relatively clear and dry at 5.15am and judging by the white sheet behind my moth box, I think I was in for a low turnout of moths, which turned out to be true. It really has been a ‘hit and miss’ sort of Summer this year, where we had that hot two weeks in June, where I was getting well over a hundred moths during that hot spell and now, apart from one drizzly morning last month, numbers have dropped considerably.

Dark Sword-grass.

Only 27 moths of 17 species were present this morning, which was disappointing, though among them, immigrant moths included a Dark Sword-grass, Rusty-dot Pearl and a Silver Y. Ten of those moths present this morning were Light Brown Apple Moths and in all probability, there were more around though hiding out of sight. A Mother of Pearl was a smart moth, sitting on one of the outside egg trays; though I will bring the egg trays back into the house today as more rain is forecast in what is going to be a very showery, windy week ahead.

Rusty-dot Pearl.

Moths recorded this morning included the following:

• 2 Vine’s Rustic
• 1 Silver Y
• 1 Brimstone Moth
• 1 Dark Sword-grass
• 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
• 1 Bright-line Brown-eye
• 1 Beautiful Plume
• 1 Bud Moth
• 10 Light Brown Apple Moth
• 1 Dingy Dowd
• 1 Marsh Dowd
• 1 Mother of Pearl
• 1 Rusty-dot Pearl
• 1 Mint Moth
• 1 Small Grey
• 1 Ruddy Streak
• 1 Bird-cherry Ermine