National Moth Night, 11th September 2015

Fiona Illing, Sheila Dupe and myself went to Parc Tredelerch, Cardiff, Monmouthshire last night. We ran a microphone stand MV on a white sheet and did some sugaring. A fisherman asked if we were after the hawkmoths that like the tobacco plants? He had read about NMN in the paper. I said we would be very lucky to catch a Convolvulus Hawkmoth! We knew the rain was coming and only had a hour or two trapping.
We recorded 34 moths of 13 species to MV: Square spot Rustic 7, Large YUW 6, Small Square Spot 4, Dusky Thorn 3, Willow Beauty 1, Setaceous Hebrew Character 3, Lesser YUW 2, Broad Borderd YUW 1, Angle Shades 1, Vine's Rustic 3, Brimstone 2, Dark Arches 1 and Light Emerald 1. In addition there were 1 Angle Shades, 2 Square Spot Rustics and 1 Small Square Spot to the sugar.
The rain became more persistant at 9.30hrs so we packed up.
I also ran the MV at Redhouse Barns on a timer switch. This morning I recorded 69 moths of just 11 species - all the usual suspects, but as I was putting the egg trays back in the trap I noticed a small Geometer on it's back at the bottom. I flipped in over and was delighted to see a Mocha. This is the 1st one I've ever seen in 20 years of moth trapping!