Thank You, Mr Dewick

It is October 1951, and Mr A J Dewick has just extracted an unfamilar moth from his trap at Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex. I wonder if he immediately realised it was a first for Britain. No doubt it already had a scientific name, but - and I assume this is standard practice - as its 'discoverer' he got to choose an English vernacular name. He chose Dewick's Plusia, which has a nice ring to it. I am glad his name wasn't Postlethwaite or Higginbottom. Anyway, I've been aware of Dewick's Plusia since Steve trapped one in 2009 (see here) and, even as a non-moth'er at the time, thought it a cool name and even cooler moth. So, since going over to the Dark Side last year it has been on my radar...

Dewick's Plusia used to be a scarce immigrant, but numbers have been growing in recent years, with breeding proven in some counties. There are five Bridport area records on the Living Record map, so my hope seemed realistic...

What a belter! Dewick's Plusia, picked off the moth trap table late last night.

I am pleased to say it had good company too...

Monday night, 4th September

120 moths of 50 species; three new for year, one new for garden. One of the 'new for year' was an either/or (Acleris laterana/comariana) which avoided the camera anyway, so here's the other one...

Cypress Pug. Caught one last year too, and there are 31 other Bridport area records on the Living Record map. Another species that is on a par with Clifden Nonpareil locally.

Some other highlights from last night...

Phone shot of an Old Lady on the sugar. I didn't bother painting the posts yesterday, so it's on the previous night's dregs.

Another surprise late Sharp-angled Carpet, though this one lacks a proper 'sharp angle'.

Over four nights we've caught 25 of these now, and I think this is the best-marked of the lot. Zero records last year.

Our third this year. Just six Bridport area records on the Living Record map.

Blair's Mocha #26, a tired one.

Okay, I think that's enough Blair's Mocha pics. So, unless I trap any especially well-marked ones, that's it for 2023. The number we get here in Bridport is ridiculous, even compared with the rest of Dorset. Here's the Living Record map...

None of the other dots on this map represent a count of more than about seven or eight. Nowehere else has had double figures. Bridport, on the other hand...