New and early moths in Beds.

New species for the year have been piling in recently after a great month of moths. A couple of moths new to Bedfordshire turned up at the end of May: the Pauper Pug and the micro Ancylis uncella, although the latter was on the reserve not in the gardens so can’t be included in the challenge! Other highlights were a Red-necked Footman, of which we had the 5^th and 6^th records in the county last year; this being the 7^th record. Our 200^th lepidopteran turned up in the toilets of all places and was the jazzy micro Chrysoclista linneella, which would have been feeding on the lime trees just outside and happens to be the 4^th record for Beds. and a nationally notable species!

Dark Arches, Heart & Dart and Heart & Club have been dominating the trap recently and we’ve had an assortment of Rustics. Some species have been turning up earlier than expected, including the Rosy Footman (9^th June) and Buff Footman (17^th June). The butterfly count is also on the rise, with Painted Lady and Marbled White being recent additions, although we’re still yet to see any Small and Large Whites – hopefully we’ll catch the second broods. No Silver Y yet either, but Hummingbird Hawk-moths have been spotted on quite a few occasions.

Bordered White

Red-necked Footman

Buff-tip

Elephant Hawk-moth

Angle Shades

a very strange Peacock Moth

Burnished Brass

Rosy Footman

Blotched Emerald

Chrysoclista linneella

We’re on 206 species now (192 moths + 14 butterflies).