Welcome

Hello and welcome to my moth Blog. I now reside in a small village in East Cambridgeshire called Fordham. My Blog's aim is to promote and encourage others to participate in the wonderful hobby that is Moth-trapping.
Moth records are vital for building a picture of our ecosystem around us, as they really are the bottom of the food chain. They are an excellent early indicator of how healthy a habitat is. I openly encourage people to share their findings via social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
So why do we do it? well for some people it is to get an insight into the world of Moths, for others it is to build a list of species much like 'Twitching' in the Bird world. The reason I do it....you just never know what you might find when you open up that trap! I hope to show what different species inhabit Cambridgeshire and neighbouring counties.
On this Blog you will find up-to-date records and pictures.
I run a trap regularly in my garden and also enjoy doing field trips to various localities over several different counties.
Please also check out the links in the sidebar to the right for other people's Blogs and informative Websites.
Thanks for looking and happy Mothing!

KEY

NFY = New Species For The Year
NFG = New Species For The Garden
NEW! = New Species For My Records

Any Species highlighted in RED signifies a totally new species for my records.

If you have any questions or enquiries then please feel free to email me
Contact Email : bensale@rocketmail.com

My Latest Notables and Rarities

Thursday 25 February 2010

Parndon Wood - Wednesday 24th February 2010

Another promising night temperature wise with a great 11c during the day-time and then keeping above 7c most of the night.
Unfortunately it rained most of the night and the trap and sheets were sopping! the Moths still obliged with again well over 300 individuals mostly made up of the micro Tortricodes alternella in all its colour forms.
New for site was Small Brindled Beauty with 11 individuals.

Interestingly this time there was some activity coming from the noctuids, having been absent on other trips and I was beginning to worry!

Also although this Blog focuses on Moths, other insects interest me, noticeably Beetles which sometimes appear at the trap.
Tonight saw 2 Minotaur Beetles (Typhaeus typhoeus) attracted to the light and lucky for me.... a pair!!

Pictures ----------

Small Brindled Beauty












The Satellite











Tortricodes alternella












Minotaur Beetles (Typhaeus typhoeus)









Catch Report Wednesday 24th February 2010 Parndon Wood - 160w MBT Robinson + 40w Actinic w/Sheet ---------------------------------------


Macro Moths

13x Dotted Border
39x March Moth
7x Pale Brindled Beauty
1x Spring Usher
11x Small Brindled Beauty [New!]
8x Satellite
17x Chestnut

Micro Moths

300x Tortricodes alternella
Posted by Bennyboymothman at 21:16

2 comments:

  1. Skev25 February 2010 at 21:38

    Glad someone is getting out Ben! Small Brindled Beauty is still scarce here in VC55 - we only have one known regular site which is right up on the far north-east border with Lincs. Sadly a bit too far to venture at this time of year unless a very favourable (dry) night.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bennyboymothman25 February 2010 at 21:48

    Thanks Mark

    It wasn't with it's difficulties I cn tell you, it was completely flooded and alot of the Moths were abit wet!
    Yes Small Brindled Beauty is localised here in Essex and not that common.
    Hope you get out soon!

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