Description


A diary of my mothing activity covering highlights and photos from my moth trapping activities. Mainly Norfolk (UK), occasionally beyond. I may mention other wildlife sightings here, especially insects, but for birds see my birding diary.

Wednesday 22 February 2017

Oak Beauty

Monday night produced only a selection of the species I'd trapped on Sunday night: 2 Common Flat-bodies Agonopterix heracliana, Dotted Border, Chestnut and 2 ichneumons Ophion obscuratus.

Yesterday I thought the warm sunshine might bring out a few interesting inverts but despite my best efforts I saw very little.  I did manage my first butterfly of the year, at last, a Small Tortoiseshell, and my first Bumblebee of the year too, a White-tailed Bumblebee.

In the evening I joined Dave for a walk round Beetley Common hoping to attract moths to our headtorches.  I don't think anything was attracted to the light but the beam did illuminate a few moths including a probable Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana (slightly ambiguous genitalia so not 100% sure), Dotted Border, Satellite and 2 Chestnuts.  The latter were a little bit unclear although I favoured Chestnut over Dark Chestnut, so I brought them home to resolve for certain and both proved to be male Chestnuts.


Chestnuts (males, gen det), Beetley Common, 21st February


Back at home an Oak Beauty adorned the moth trap, my first this year.  Apart from that I only managed to trap a single Common Flat-body Agonopterix heracliana.


Oak Beauty, North Elmham, 21st February

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