Twenty minutes...

Twenty minutes - that`s the time I reckon I`ve spent actively looking for moths in the last week or so, with the strong winds (and heavy rain at times) putting me off searching by day, trapping at night or - my favourite method this year - `dusking`.
Late last week there was an opportunity to quickly visit the saltmarshes at Llangennech, and I went to the saline ditch where I`d seen Gynnidomorpha vectisana in some quantity on the evening of 31st May. None were to be seen during my early afternoon second visit.
I attach a photo of the location where I`d previously seen this moth and also one of Chris Manley`s wonderful photos, of an individual from here that I gave him on 31st May.

Above: the Gynnidomorpha was mostly found in the ditch alongside the fence, with one side protected from grazing, allowing the food-plant, sea arrow-grass, to thrive.

                                Above: Chris Manley`s high-quality photo of Gynnidomorpha.

During the time that I`ve been rather indolent in terms of moth trapping, both Adam Dare on the coast and Jane Hand in the hills have both been laudably continuing with their trapping - so, full marks! I actually also restarted trapping in the garden last night where there was a nice mix in the traps this morning, though nothing particularly noteworthy; I will do a short blog when I get a chance.
I was also awakened from my `moth torpor` by the arrival of a newly-published book yesterday - `Micro-moth Field Tips` by Ben Smart, a well-produced book that is both informative and attractive and which offers chronological, month-by-month tips on how to find a selection of micros. Recommended.