BACKGARDEN HAWKMOTHS

Moth trapping was carried out on twelve nights during May in the back garden in Firs Chase.

The fine continuous sunny weather during the daytime meant the night skies stayed clear too, which usually means a drop in night temperature. Moth numbers were generally quite low averaging only about twenty species in the first three hours of the night while the trap was operating.

The main highlight of the month has been the variety of hawkmoths with six species seen during the month, including this colourful elephant hawkmoth.

Two eyed hawkmoths arrived together just after midnight on the 31st - their colourful eye- markings hidden on the hindwings.

The lime hawkmoth was seen on three nights, with their camouflage markings. This was the first of the hawkmoth species to be seen in May, this one on the 19th.

Just one privet hawkmoth was recorded, seen on the 20th - the largest resident moth in the UK.

A couple of pine hawkmoths were seen in the last week of May.

The commonest hawkmoth, the poplar hawkmoth was the last one to show, making its appearance on the last night of the month.

One impressive cream-spot tiger moth was a colourful surprise on the 26th. A moth usually found in grassland habitats especially along the Essex coast and seawalls.

This toadflax brocade is the first individual to be trapped on the Island, although not the first record. It is a species that has spread rapidly across Essex in recent years and was expected to be found in the trap soon. The first individual seen on the Island was found at a porch light in the Potifars garden in Shop Lane in 2018. Last summer caterpillars were seen feeding on purple toadflax in Feldy View.

The first alder moth seen on the Island was trapped in the Firs Chase garden on the 26th.

This clouded brindle has not been seen on the Island before, although its reasonably widespread across Essex.

The sand dart is a coastal speciality and found mainly in north-east Essex. It was seen most early summers at Cudmore Grove when trapping was done regularly there.

Not many tawny-barred angle moths have been seen on the Island previously, this one is the first for the garden.

This shiny micro-moth called Coast Green Case-bearer or Coleophora amethystinella, was first discovered as a British species in 1973 at Fingringhoe. Since then it has spread into neighbouring counties and along the south coast, while becoming commoner in Essex in recent years. It has distinctive metallic green wings and orange hairs round its eyes.

A lesser stag beetle, minus a hind-leg, was seen near the garden moth trap on the 25th May.