Arfon`s Special Hat Trick....

 I`m sure that you all would like to see photos of  Arfon`s THREE crimson speckleds, showing the slightly different markings on each individual. The only Carmarthenshire records, all caught by AW!

Persistence pays - more migrants

 Trapping on Friday (11/11) and Saturday (12/11) nights brought some migrants to the sparse catches in the garden actinics. Tonight (Sunday 13/11) and Monday (14/11), are both worth considering, but after then the winds become westerly rather than the present balmy southerlies.

                                                          Above: gem from Friday night.

                                                       Above: vestal from Saturday night.

                                       Above: Diasemiopsis ramburialis from Saturday night.

The Diasemiopsis was the 4th county record, following two in 2003, both at Pembrey Forest (Andy Graham in June 2003 and Jon Baker in August 2003), with a more recent record by Stephen Ruttle at Graig Farm S. of Llandovery on 22/10/17.

The above moths were accompanied by silver ys and a rush veneer on Friday, but no other migrants on  Saturday. A few resident moths were also caught, including red-green carpets, chestnuts and one merveille du jour (photo below)

Meanwhile, at the `moth Shangri-La` that is Arfon Williams home patch, he continues to excel. He had another (!) crimson speckled and a Crocidosoma plebejana on Friday, with a third (!) crimson speckled on Saturday, either at his home trap north of Ffarmers or at his mother`s garden near Lampeter. Arfon also caught a few commoner migrants. AW currently has the Carmarthenshire monopoly for crimson speckled - perhaps others may wish to `have a go` for this moth tonight or tomorrow night, before the winds change. The current winds are from North Africa and/or the Iberian peninsula, so it`s worth a try!

BBC Sounds - The Forum - Moths - the story of the butterfly of the night

Good to see moths being promoted on this radio programme: BBC Sounds - The Forum - Moths - the story of the butterfly of the night https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct38t8

`Carry on Catching`....rarities (or, `Arfon does it again`)

 Arfon Williams must exude moth pheromones or be party to supernatural powers as, on the last night of October, he made another new county record for Carmarthenshire in the form of the tropical crambid Spoladea recurvalis, brought in by the southerlies. In spite of the high winds and rain on the night of 31/10, he decided to leave an actinic in his porch and was rewarded by this beauty.

AW certainly has had a `good run` during this recent spell of marked immigration and he deserves our full praise for his persistence in trapping during what many may consider inclement weather.