A Marvelous Martin’s Moth Night at Magor Marsh & Ynys Hywel

Eighteen people came to the events at Magor Marsh and Ynys Hywel to pay tribute to Martin Anthoney. Martin’s sister and brother in-law (Joan and David Du Boulay) came all the way from Essex and they were moved by how many people wanted to celebrate Martin’s achievements on what would have been his 75^th birthday.

At Magor Marsh, the event was hosted by Roger and Julia James, and Julia even baked a cake to make sure nobody went hungry.  We really did “light up the sky for Martin”, with three different types of moth trap being run and all three powered in three different ways:

·         Roger set up a sheet trap with MV bulb on a stand just outside the Derek Upton Centre, using mains power;

·         Kevin Dupé set up a Skinner MV trap, powered with a generator approximately 500m along the boardwalk, not far from the hide; and,

·         Nick Felstead, who came straight from work nearby, set up a trap powered by a leisure battery, with 3 sheets and 2 types of light tube.

People enjoying the comforts of being sat outside the Centre, with cups of tea and coffee and slices of Julia’s cake, were rewarded with Roger’s trap attracting the 1^st Jersey Tiger of the night, along with Elephant Hawkmoth, Scarce Silver-lines and Leopard Moth.

Sallow Kitten 

Black Arches

All three traps attracted Jersey Tiger, with Nick’s attracting two. In total, 58 species were recorded with high-lights being: 5 Small Rufous, 4 Black Arches, Southern Wainscot, Brown-veined Wainscot, 10 Double-lobed, Gold Triangle, Rosy Footman, Calamotopha paludella, and 6 Crescent.

Jersey Tiger

Scarce Silver-lines

Double Lobed

Crescent

At Ynys Hywel Farm in the Sirhowy valley, just a few miles west of Martin’s old home, Kevin Hewitt, Richard Clarke and Alan Cripps brightened the sky with a further three MV traps located at the farm, alongside the pond and just off the access track.      

Excellent numbers of species were trapped and in total, 84 species were recorded with high-lights being 10 each of Satin Lutestring and Black Arches, two Welsh Waves, 20 Rosy Footman and a Small Dotted Buff.

Welsh Wave

Small Dotted Buff

The weather was perfect, people and moths came out in force and it was great to socialise with friends old and new. Many people expressed the opinion that this should become an annual event on each anniversary of Martin Anthoney’s birthday, 21^st July. Martin’s legacy is immense, but perhaps the most important is the number of people with an enthusiasm for moths and butterflies now in Vice County 35, largely due to Martin’s own enthusiasm, diligent work over many decades and patience with new recorders.

Kevin