AUGUST BACK-GARDEN MOTHS

Moth trapping took place in the Firs Chase back-garden on twelve nights during August. Two of the month's highlights - Marbled Clover and White-spotted Pinion were described in an earlier post at the start of the month. Pictured here is Dewick's Plusia on the 17th, the second garden record.

Gold Spot on 17th - first one here was last year.

Bordered Straw on 17th, first garden record of this immigrant.

Maple Prominent on 17th.

Delicate on 17th, 26th and 31st - regular immigrant which has recently colonised the county.

Olive-tree Pearl on 17th - this migrant is less than annual here.

Unusually large influx of 130 Latticed Heaths on 8th.

Buff-tip on 9th.

Jersey Tiger on 11th, just the second one this summer. Numbers increasing each year across the county.

Coastal species Sandhill Rustic on 11th.

Rusty Acorn Piercer on 11th - first garden record of increasingly widespread species across Essex.

Straw-barred Pearl on 18th.

Four-spotted Footman, female on 22nd - a male recorded on 12th June, First garden records.

Centre-barred Sallow on 23rd.

Pebble Hook-tips on 26th.

Light Emerald which alighted on my hand on 26th.

Orange Swift on several nights including 26th.

Clancy's Rustic on 31st.

Straw Underwing on several nights including the 31st.

Square-spot Rustic, left, and a Small Square-spot for comparison, on 31st.

The migrant micro Rusty-dot Pearl on three nights including the 31st.

Saltmarsh Knot-horn on three nights including 31st.

At least twenty Toadflax Brocade caterpillars were still feeding on the Purple Toadflax in the garden at the end of the month. However none of the adults have been recorded this year at the nearby moth trap.