Sixty!

Proceedings looked good for another check of the ivy this evening if the Red-Green Carpet on the bathroom ceiling and Mallow on the kitchen window were anything to go by.

I invited a friend along who had an expressed an interest and after half-an-hour was beginning to wish I hadn't, as all we had to show for it was a single Angle Shades. Things picked up a little as we turned the corner and worked the lee side, with the first of three Yellow-line Quakers.

Salvation came in the form of the first Satellite of the season, which was also the sixtieth species of moth we have recorded on ivy in Stutton this year.

I reckon the 50mm+ of rain we have had over the last couple of days has wiped the slate clean. There is talk of another warm spell at the weekend which may liven things up again for one last time. Still no Merveille du Jour...

Windy but worth it

Very mild this evening, but the wind was blowing up to Force 4 along the exposed stretch that I was checking. The moths, like any sensible creature, were mostly feeding on the lee side. Just 13 moths in total, but ten species, with three new for the season - Red-line Quaker, Green-brindled Crescent and Chestnut. I say three, but it could be four. I photographed this one, but was unable to pot it up and my initial thought was that it was a Dark Chestnut. Thoughts welcome.

This was the first Red-line Quaker of the season...

..and the second Grey Shoulder-Knot.

The very fresh Green-brindled Crescent is in the fridge awaiting photography tomorrow.

And the record falls

Only the second "breath-frosting" night of the ivy league season tonight and a moon almost full, veiled by thin cloud. Less than ideal conditions, but at least it was calm and I hadn't been out since the 28th. There was an Angle Shades on my ivy in the front garden, so that boded well as I headed off down the lane towards the church.

In a little over an hour, I noted 27 moths of 12 species, with three new for the season. That takes the total in twenty visits since the 20th August to 55 species, taking us past last year's effort of 53. We are well on target to get to sixty, but I would settle for 54 mind, if that was a Merveille du Jour!

Totals as follows:

Angle Shades - 6
Common Marbled Carpet - 3
Grey Shoulder-knot - 1
Lunar Underwing - 5
Yellow-line Quaker - 1
Dusky-lemon Sallow - 1
Square-spot Rustic - 2
Brick - 4
Large Yellow Underwing - 1
Beaded Chestnut - 1
Deep-brown Dart - 1
L-album Wainscot - 1

 Common Marbled Carpet

Brick

Angle Shades