"Everything is early this year" is the naturalists refrain, in complete contrast to last year - remember the non-existent spring?
Tonight was the fifth night the Stutton Moth Group (membership of two) had roamed the lanes checking the ivy flowers since the 20th August. Last year the flowering didn't start until the 12th September.
With flowering so early, we have been picking up a few late summer species, but the commonest three remain Large Yellow Underwing, Square-spot Rustic and Angle Shades. Intriguingly, Flounced Rustic, which would be verging on abundant in the moth trap, is a species we have never recorded on ivy.
Last year we recorded 53 species around the village on ivy, so far this season we are on 28. New species tonight were Small Dusty Wave and a tatty Cloaked Minor. If we continue along these lines we should break the 60 barrier.
This really highlights how import ivy is as a nectar source for moths. By day, a seemingly endless stream of invertebrates descend on their flowers and this carries on at night.
