Cooler temperatures = fewer moths

This is the general rule when the temperature is below 10 Centigrade.


26/02 Dotted Border 1, Chestnut 1.
27/02 Tortricodes alternella 1, Dotted Border 2, Oak Beauty 1, Common Quaker 1, Clouded Drab 1, Chestnut 1

Ermine on Beeley Moor

Although I see Stoat (Mustela erminea) reasonably regularly on Beeley Moor this is the first time, in almost 15 years, that I have seen it in its white winter coat. I saw one in the typical brown coat in December but this is the second sighting of a white one this winter so it may be as a result of the unusually prolonged periods that the moor has been under snow this winter. The Stoat today was white, apart from the tail tip of course, but with a fawn stripe about a centimetre wide running down its back presumably the start of the spring moult. It ran along the wall from the crossroads at the eastern end of the triangle down towards the Cathole.


Thanks to Ken Smith for the photo.

Another good catch

Despite persistent heavy rain there were still good numbers of moths in and around the trap this morning, 42 moths of 12 species;
Acleris hyemana 1, Agonopterix heracliana2, Engrailed 2, Red-green Carpet 1, Oak Beauty 5, Pale Brindled Beauty 2, Dotted Border 15, March Moth 1, Chestnut 5, Common Quaker 5, Clouded Drab 2, Hebrew Character 1.

The Engrailed

Hebrew Character

Hebrew Character

Common Quaker

Common Quaker

Another Acleris hyemana... it would be nice to see a fresh one

Another worn hyemana

Acleris hyemana

Four new species for the year

24/02 Another good catch
Oak Beauty 2 male
Pale Brindled Beauty 2
Clouded Drab 2
Common Quaker 1
Hebrew Character 1
Dotted Border 6
March Moth 2
Chestnut 2
Agnopterix heracliana 1

Clouded Drab

Oak Beauty

First Oak Beauty of 2011, a male.

Oak Beauty

Best night of the year so far

23/02 Agnopterix heracliana 1, Tortricodes alternella 1, March Moth 12, Chestnut 6, The Engrailed 1, Mottled Umber 1, Dotted Border 6, Red-green Carpet 1, Satellite 1, Pale Brindled Beauty 2.

Satellite

First Red-green Carpet of the year.

A very nice specimen, apparently these are all females which over winter.

Red-green Carpet

A very early Engrailed

As far as I can recall this is my first February record.

Engrailed

Agonopterix heracliana

First for the year

Agonopterix heracliana

Warmer weather and more on the way

A minimum temperature last night of 6 Centigrade had an immediate impact;
22/02 March Moth 8, Dotted Border 2, Chestnut 3, Pale Brindled Beauty 1.
21/02 March Moth 1

Still the odd moth flying

Despite the low temperatures, maximum temperature was 4 Centigrade for the last couple of nights and it snowed quite heavily on Saturday morning, I am still catching the odd moth.
18/02 Dotted Border it pretty good condition
19/02 Pale Brindled Beauty - the 39th for the year so far.

Dotted Border

Nothing new!

17/02 Chestnut 3

Chestnut

Tortricodes alternella

09/02 Pale Brindled Beauty 5, March Moth 2, Chestnut 1, Satellite 1, Early Moth 3
10/02 Tortricodes alternella 2 probably male and female, unfortunately neither in good condition
          Spring Usher, Chestnut 3, Early Moth 3, March Moth, Dotted Border 2.
I'm away for a few days now so no news from Darley Dale until the back end on next week.

Tortricodes alternella

Tortricodes alternella

March Moth

Better conditions this evening and still 8 Centigrade at 8:30 pm, first March Moth of the year, also Satellite and 3 Pale Brindled Beauty.

March Moth

Another Acleris hyemana

08/02 Acleris hyemana another worn specimen, perhaps as a result of the winds? Early Moth & Chestnut

Acleris hyemana

Dotted Border - new for the year

06/02 Pale Brindled Beauty, Chestnut
07/02 Dotted Border, 2 Pale Brindled Beauty, Early Moth.

Dotted Border

Acleris hyemana

Despite the warmer weather wind and rain have limited moth activity.
03/2 Pale Brindled Beauty
05/02 Pale Brindled Beauty and a new micro for the year which I think is Acleris hyemana, it is very worn but still retains some of the distinctive red markings, length about 9mm.. I'm only about a mile from the heather moorland so with the winds we have had it could easily have been blown. 

Acleris hyemana

Another micro - Acleris ferrugana/notana

01/2 Another 7 Pale Brindled Beauty resulted from a milder night (min 5 Centigrade) but windy.
02/2 Caught a fresh specimen of Acleris ferrugana/notana last night along with 2 more Pale Brindled Beauty

Acleris ferrugana/notana