MID-JULY GARDEN MOTHS

The garden moth trap in Firs Chase operated on six nights during the two weeks from the 7th to the 21st July - when the weather was dry enough. A nice variety of moths were recorded with some nights more productive than others with a few of the highlights pictured below.

The most notable moth was this micro-moth pictured above, New Poplar Knot-horn Sciota rhenella on the 18th, which appears to be the first record for Essex! It's a rare immigrant from the continent and although its been recorded several times in Kent and Suffolk, its not been seen previously in this county.

White Satin

Festoon

Lunar-spotted Pinion

Plumed Fan-foot - fourth summer since first seen in the garden

Marbled Green - on the 13th, first for the Island

Swallow-tailed Moth

Cream-bordered Green Pea

Small Elephant Hawk-moth - on the 8th along with four Elephant Hawk-moths, Pine Hawk-moth and a Privet Hawk-moth.

Leopard Moth

Rosy-striped Knot-horn Oncocera semirubella - pleased to finally add this to the garden list after first being recorded at Cudmore Grove in 2016.

Scarce Silver-lines

Orange Moth

Clancy's Rustic

Magpie Moth

Broad-barred White

Tree-lichen Beauty

Orange Pine Tortrix  Lozotaeniodes formosana

Dark-bordered Pearl  Evergestis limbata

Several Toadflax Brocade caterpillars are feeding on the Purple Toadflax plants in the garden.