You never stop learning

My thanks to Richard Fox and @stewchat who pointed me in the direction of Oak Nycteoline as mystery micro on my blog last night. This was a species I hadn't encountered before so I forgave myself for thinking that it was a micro. It never ceases to amaze me how species like this along with Chestnuts, Satellites and a good few more see out the winter as adults tucked away in a nook somewhere. It was interesting to read that the Oak N. hunkers down in the epicormic growth of oaks.

Last night I made my first foray with the moth trap out to one of my regular spots in the village. There was a fair breeze, so I chose this place as I could set the trap in the lee of some outbuildings.

 

 

There is a good selection of mature trees (coniferous and deciduous), some scrub and open farmland and it easily outperforms my immature back garden which is less than a mile away as the moth flies.

 

Scores on the doors (those in caps are annual but infrequent around here):

 

Common Quaker - 23

Small Quaker - 33

Twin-spotted Quaker - 3

Clouded Drab - 8

Hebrew Character - 7

Chestnut - 2

BRINDLED BEAUTY - 1

SHOULDER-STRIPE - 1

RED CHESTNUT - 1

Oak Beauty - 1

pug (still to decide) - 1

 

And here are those bold ones:

 

 

Red Chestnut

 

 

Brindled Beauty

 



 

Shoulder-stripe