Monday May 7

Yesterday was spent in the garden, during which time a Holly Blue flew in and started laying eggs

Holly Blue

I kept having to rescue (chuck out) a mining bee which I believe to be Grey-patched Mining Bee, that was continually entering the kitchen.

Probably Grey-patched Mining Bee

Last night I set up the moth trap, and this morning spent plenty of time emptying it of the 17 moths I caught. Some were easy to identify:

Streamer

Chocolate-tip

The rest I have emailed photos of to John S, and will await his input before continuing with this post.

John has come up with the goods; supplying names for all but one of the ones I sent him. The missing moth escaped while I was extracting them and ended up high on the wall of the house. The resulting photo was shocking, although John still suggested a family of micro-moths, Acleris, it could be from.

Apart from one I hadn't a clue about, I was pleased he concurred with all my tentative identifications. The one that defeated me was Least Black Arches Nola confusalis. An appropriate latin name.

Least Black Arches

The full list was: One Streamer, one Chocolate-tip, six Pugs all of which were thought to be Brindled Pug (John is now checking those), one Early Grey, two Common Quakers, one possible acleris sp, one Light Brown Apple Moth, one Bee Moth,

Bee Moth

one Shuttle-shaped Dart,

Shuttle-shaped Dart

one Spruce Carpet,

Spruce Carpet

and one Least Black Arches. I also saw a millipede sp (it seems ages since I saw one of those). I will not be attempting to identify it.

Millipede sp

Finally, I have painted my moth trap white as my mentor says it will increase the numbers caught.