Sweet Goo

This weekend was mostly spent in Lyme Regis, babysitting. The weather forecast held little promise of exotic migrant moths, so the trap stayed at home and I got two nights of 8+ hours sleep. Which meant I was keen to get back at it yesterday, and decided to try something I first had a go at last autumn: sugaring.

It was a bit late in the year when I discovered Stewart Sexton's recipe for a sugaring mix (see HERE) and advice on its use, but I duly cooked it up (to the letter, including a couple of over-ripe pears and a black banana!), painted a couple of fence posts and hoped for the best. Unfortunately I got nothing, and after three or four blank nights, gave up. Still, I did resolve to try again in summer 2023...

The fence behind the wildlife hedge is out of view of the moth trap, and had seemed an obvious spot to try. Last year's mix still smelled amazing, and I felt pretty confident as I slapped it on the top couple of feet of three posts. Shortly after dark I checked them out, and was well chuffed to find a Bright-line Brown-eye tucking in, proboscis fully extended. Over the next hour or so I added several more species to the sugaring list: Common Rustic agg., Uncertain/Rustic agg., Common Plume, Epiphyas postvittana (Light Brown Apple Moth) and this beauty...

The stunning Herald, lapping up the goo.

At one point there were three Heralds feeding, and I couldn't resist potting one for a decent photo later. I've caught just one Herald in the light trap this year, back in early April, so three together was a real treat.

Herald

I also spent a bit of time prancing about with the net, and caught a couple of new micros for the garden...

This whacky little moth is quite common apparently, and there are about 10 Bridport area records on Living Record.

I love these colourful little things. They pack so much gaudiness into 3.5-4mm, yet are nothing but a shiny speck to the naked eye. Sadly (and depressingly) this one has to go down as Phyllonorycter sp. The secret of its specific ID is locked away in its microscopic 'nads. As far as I'm concerned, they can keep it.

Though past its best, this one is do-able. One of three very similar species, but thankfully separable. Rather sparsely recorded it seems, with no Bridport area records on the Living Record map so far.

In total, last night's count was 115 moths of 51 species, with seven new for year and five new for garden, including two macros...

Tawny Shears is new for the garden. It seems to have a mainly coastal distribution in Dorset.

The very lovely Large Emerald. Quite common, but new for the garden. And large it is!

A nice Shuttle-shaped Dart.

Just the fourth example of this migrant so far in 2023.

Another Cloaked Minor. This one was tiny.

First this year. We caught four in 2022.

New for the garden. This moth has an interesting distribution in Dorset. Loads of records on Portland, and in the Wareham/Poole basin area, but few in West Dorset. Just one dot (representing two records) in the Bridport area.

So, that was last night, but I should bring the moth stuff bang up to date by adding a quick summary of last Thursday night also...

Thursday night, 13th July

140 moths of 56 species. Three new for year, one new for garden.

Fourth White-spotted Pug of the year.

First Clay of the year, and only the garden's second.

Blair's Mocha #9 for the year.

Third one of these this year, but the first I've managed to photograph. Houdini moths.

The spectacular Peppered Moth, always good value.

A delicate little beauty, and far from abundant locally. We trapped a single in 2022, and two so far this year.

A garden first. Despite having a well-established vernacular name (presumably it's a 'pest') there are no Bridport area records on the Living Record map.

Measuring 3.5mm, this is another micro that lives up to the name. There are just five dots on the Living Record map, representing 10 records of this silvery splinter. Two of those were from our garden last year, so this is our third. Not sure what the attraction is.

Finally, a few weeks back I came across a green and brown twig crawling slowly up the cabin wall. I had my suspicions as to its ID, and last night was proved right when this hatched from the small, silk-curtained chrysalis...

A freshly-minted Brimstone Moth.