Mostly Moths 2019

Well here goes, for better or worse, another year of moths. The old thread is here https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/all-creatures/196070/mostly-moths-2018/1221500#1221500

To start us off a couple of silly ones that came to greet the first trap of the year on the night of the 1st to 2nd january. It was around 6-7°C all night & frosts ever since so I gave it a go.

A Double-striped Pug

& same one closed

& White Speck

Nothing earth-shattering, but a start!

Best wishes

Hazel in Southwest France

  • That's a shame, I suppose they have gone off to work somewhere else & some other place will benefit from their traps! Could you do some private trapping on the reserve with your gear? Would it get nicked if you left it all night?
    Have you ever tried the rope trick in your garden? It may work from around March/April.

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • Think he's given up as working most evenings now & moved away too ... there was some interest shown but there was much bickering/bitching amongst new ranks so distanced myself from reserve this year!
    Did try sugaring there & here last year with no success at all but will give it another go!

    My Emily has moved to a house with decent sized back garden & she's keen to have me run traps there, will be interesting to see what's around at hers being inland a bit & just outside of town ... she is developing a very decent variety of shrubs/flowering perennials!

  • That sounds a good idea Wendy. I'm looking for some new spots for next year. I need to scout out some quiet spots, accessible by car & preferably on private ground. I'm a bit more hesitant these days since I had my battery nicked. It was a shame too as it was a very successful place there.

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • Hi,
    Here is an Elephant Hawkmoth caterpillar crawling across the lawn in September.
    I don't know where he was going, but I hope he got there in one piece. He does look fat and juicy despite looking like a snake with its tongue out!
    Russ

  • Ooh, Wendy will be soooooo jealous! What an amazing nose, looked like it stopped growing when the rest of it carried on.

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • Certainly am envious, didn't see any this year even though I put the word out to neighbours to keep watch!
  • This is the link to the new thread for 2020 community.rspb.org.uk/.../butterflies-moths-2020

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France

  • Hi Haze et al,
    I'm surprised you can catch moths in January (although noted you are in France) My interest in getting a moth trap of my own for the garden has been nudged, especially as it sounds like it may not be just a summer pastime. What would be the season for moth-catching in Dorset would you say? Any thoughts on a good all-weather one for the garden? (I have had a look at the Safari one on NHBS)
    thanks
    RussT
  • Hi Russell, I replied on the latest thread, so we can close this one.

    Best wishes

    Hazel in Southwest France