Moth nights 2011
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 10:55 pm
2011 has been a fantastic butterfly year for me with 44 different UK species of butterflies sighted including three for the first time and visits to four new sites
. Having access to the UK Butterfly website with its forum contributions by knowledgeable members has helped to coordinate everything, and I have to say a sincere thanks to Pete for setting up this fantastic website, it's become an addiction and long may it continue
This year I've also been fortunate to attend five moth trapping nights on Pewley Down a chalk grassland site at Guildford in Surrey. The nights (roughly one a month) were organised by a work colleague Paul Wheeler, who is a micro-moth specialist. In addition I got to see a trap release from Bookham Commons.
If any of you have not been moth trapping I hope these photos will make you consider giving it a try. Your county wildlife trust or Butterfly conservation.org (BC) may be able to help with event listing (I'm fortunate to be able to rely on Paul). On the trapping nights Paul and the other regular experts will identify the species and record their number before release. Occasionally where I.D. cannot be made in the field the specimen may need to be taken back home for closer examination (sometimes they hitch a ride on your clothing as I found out with the Frosted Orange). Afterwards the data is compiled and sent in to the county recorder before being forwarded to BC (who monitor species abundance and movements of moths as well as butterflies in case you didn't know).
For my part as a novice 'gatecrasher' I get to a chance to see, photo and (subsequently) identify these insects (and some can be difficult (checkout Clouded Brindle pictured)). On good nights you are likely to see a few dozen different species. Some are brightly coloured and rather showy whereas others are (typically) sombre coloured with subtle or cryptic markings and novel quirky names. Then there are the 'little Brown jobs' and the micros. I've got some way to go before I graduate onto them
.
I've limited it to twenty or so, scaled down pictures of 'common' species as I don't want to stretch the generosity of UKB too much (it is a butterfly website after all)
.
A common species which used to turn up every year in my front porch, but hasn't done so for about three years now.
Used to find a lot of these when I was a young-un up in Sunderland but haven't seen so many down South?
Not 100% on this one?
A fairly common medium-large Noctuid
One of several similar looking species of footmen.
Larvae are sometimes found on Garden fuschias. Easy species to rear on Rosebay Willowherb
Can be very common and seen feeding on buddleia and other nectar sources during the day.
![Very Happy :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif)
![Cool 8)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)
This year I've also been fortunate to attend five moth trapping nights on Pewley Down a chalk grassland site at Guildford in Surrey. The nights (roughly one a month) were organised by a work colleague Paul Wheeler, who is a micro-moth specialist. In addition I got to see a trap release from Bookham Commons.
If any of you have not been moth trapping I hope these photos will make you consider giving it a try. Your county wildlife trust or Butterfly conservation.org (BC) may be able to help with event listing (I'm fortunate to be able to rely on Paul). On the trapping nights Paul and the other regular experts will identify the species and record their number before release. Occasionally where I.D. cannot be made in the field the specimen may need to be taken back home for closer examination (sometimes they hitch a ride on your clothing as I found out with the Frosted Orange). Afterwards the data is compiled and sent in to the county recorder before being forwarded to BC (who monitor species abundance and movements of moths as well as butterflies in case you didn't know).
For my part as a novice 'gatecrasher' I get to a chance to see, photo and (subsequently) identify these insects (and some can be difficult (checkout Clouded Brindle pictured)). On good nights you are likely to see a few dozen different species. Some are brightly coloured and rather showy whereas others are (typically) sombre coloured with subtle or cryptic markings and novel quirky names. Then there are the 'little Brown jobs' and the micros. I've got some way to go before I graduate onto them
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
I've limited it to twenty or so, scaled down pictures of 'common' species as I don't want to stretch the generosity of UKB too much (it is a butterfly website after all)
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
A common species which used to turn up every year in my front porch, but hasn't done so for about three years now.
Used to find a lot of these when I was a young-un up in Sunderland but haven't seen so many down South?
Not 100% on this one?
A fairly common medium-large Noctuid
One of several similar looking species of footmen.
Larvae are sometimes found on Garden fuschias. Easy species to rear on Rosebay Willowherb
Can be very common and seen feeding on buddleia and other nectar sources during the day.