To kick off last week, on Monday we held the first moth trapping session of the season down at Ashway Gap. Signs were against us to start the evening, winds were strong and some dodgy wiring threatened to cancel the fun. Luckily conditions improved and the first catch of the summer was pretty successful!
Highlights were definitely the lovely Small Elephant Hawkmoths, we caught six of these, which is the highest number for the site so far of this species.
A huge looking Fox Moth also graced us with its presence, females are the only ones who come out at night to light but look out for males on the moors flying in bright sunshine.
Other species we identified included:
2 Ruby Tiger
6 Common Swift
3 Common Carpet
2 Brown Silver Lines
Diamond Back Moth
3 Flames Shoulder
2 Silver Ground Carpet
Green Carpet
Rivulet (new for the site)
It wasn't just the lepidoptera out and about though. Pipestrelle Bats were out in force enjoying the biblical proportions of midges attracted to the trap. We spotted a couple of Brown Hares running about the banks near the Ashway Gap spillway and a young buck Roe Deer was pottering about Pennyworth Wood.
Fingers crossed we get more warm dry evenings, as we hope to get the trap out a lot more this year and anyone who's interested can come along! Stayed tuned to our twitter and Website.