I am situated in the north, on the Carmarthenshire side of the Carmarthenshire/Ceridigion border. I have field and meadow to one side, and have a rural outlook, with small river just beyond neighbours open ground. The village is rural and is not built up. Oaks and trees made up on my garden list is what you would mainly find in my garden. Garden list: Clay soil. Oak, Ash, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Hazel, Willow, Honeysuckle, Wild Honeysuckle, Elderflower, Wild Dogrose, Hemp Agrimony, Apple Trees, Rowan Trees, a Silver Birch, Leylandi and Dogwood. My garden is original field and was never laid to lawn, for which I am so thankful. It has, reeds, ferns, rush, clovers, dandelions, dock, sorrel, plantains, knapweeds, cuckoo flower, purple loosestrife, yellow loosestrife - added, Sedums - added, red campions, self heal, nettles, and flag Iris - added, at the small pond. There is a row of pines along one side of our bungalow (not ours). Hopefully, this gives you an idea of my immediate area. I bought my first trap Robinson MV last Oct/Nov, and have trapped all through the Winter, using my garden, which is where I trap. My corner security light has brought me great results and I seem to be using it more than the Robinson at the moment, mainly because as a newbie, I don't want to become inundated with moths and begin to feel overwhelmed by it. Could I please ask.., my first Dotted Border seen this year was on the 16th January 2017, is this an early record for the area please?
Sunday 18 March - First Brindled Pug x 2
Wednesday 22 March - First Grey Shoulder Knot x 1 at zero degrees! nfy, nfg, nfm
Friday 24 March - (using the Corner Bungalow 100w Light with Pearl/White Lamp cover giving a subdued glow)....... brought my second Water Carpet (the first being 18th March), with the usual Early Greys, Early Thorns, Small Quakers, Hebrew Characters, Oak Beauties, Diurnea fagellas, Dotted Borders and an Emelina monodactyla (plume).
Sunday 26 March - First Streamer, first Early Tooth Stripe, first Double Striped Pug, along with Shoulder stripe, Early Greys, Dotted Borders, Early Thorns, Oak Beauty, Common Quakers, Small Quakers, Hebrew Characters, Clouded Drabs.
Image of first Streamer - Sunday 26 March
Tonight, Monday 27 March - I do believe I have my first Brindled Beauty, but will have to properly check this!
Thank you
Jacqueline
Welcome Jacqueline to the blog and thank you for posting the most informative text, putting your trap site into context as to location and habitats.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to your dotted border query, I suspect that others will have had January sightings of this moth, whether at kitchen lights or at traps.
DO try your trap - I suggest start asap - before the potential numbers and variety become possibly overwhelming at the height of summer. Remember to cover the bulb with a `shelter` (eg a heat-resistant plate or a pane of glass) to prevent rain getting on it. There`s potentially good trapping weather this week - with southerlies. Photograph any moths that you can`t i/d, including micros. Good luck!
Thank you Ian, I have used my trap quite a lot, and of course having great results with the corner light. There is already a rain cover that came with the trap for the bulb, so all is good. It was a Brindled Beauty, (corner light) and quite a feisty one at that, so will be releasing him shortly. Pleased about the Grey Shoulder Knot, lovely moth. Will get out the big trap back out this week. Hopefully, it will bring another new species for the garden! Thanks again.
DeletePS. - I forgot! Brindled beauties are out and about at present, so your assumption is likely to be correct. Also, grey shoulder-knot is a good record - well done.
ReplyDeleteGreat start, Jacqueline - very well done.
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve, I'm enjoying, and it's always lovely to see a new moth arrive for the first time after you become used to seeing the same ones for a while. Looking forward to new arrivals, and to think, after all these years it's only now the interest has developed, never mind, onwards and upwards.
DeleteI want to come and live at your house as your garden sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mel, I love it too, it's certainly bringing the moths in, and long may it continue!
ReplyDelete