Hay Wood and Gadesprings Field Trip report - 02/04/14 Hello all. Last night I was joined by David and Steve for our first trapping session on the Boxmoor Trust's land. The ensuing conditions were perfect with a good amount of cloud cover present and temperatures holding up at dusk at about 15 degrees. The only niggle was that damn breeze, which thankfully did drop as the night progressed.

David had already set-up three traps at Gadesprings earlier on, so the plan was to use four traps at Hay Wood and at the Old Barn, then go back to Gadesprings after we had finished.

Setting up 3 different traps throughout the wood and leaving one out on an exposed position near the barn, we were all set and ready for the deluge.

The moths did come, sparingly at first with a spankingly fresh Water Carpet being the first moth in, Brindled Pugs, Diurnea fagella's and Common Quakers followed. We fared much better this year compared to last year where we had our first trapping session over 3 weeks later than this date, and were catching pretty much the same species, although last year was very odd. See HERE for last years report. It was very nice to see so many Water Carpets again, last year we managed about 10, this year we easily trumped that with 20+ individuals. Also the freshest Waved Umber I have ever seen graced the side of the trap near the Old Barn.

Species of note included 3 Shoulder-stripe, 1 immaculate Purple Thorn and a year first Pale Pinion, which was found sitting in the long grass near the trap at the Old Barn.

So onto the list of moths recorded.

Catch Report - Hay Wood (Westbrook Hay) - 02/04/14 - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 160w MBT Robinson Trap and 1x 80w Actinic Trap

Lights run from 7.50pm until 11.30pm

262 moths of 28 species Macro Moths

20+ Water Carpet 5x Clouded Drab 9x Small Quaker 13x Hebrew Character 15x Engrailed 1x Satellite 97x Common Quaker 8x Early Thorn 8x Chestnut 18x Brindled Pug 14x March Moth 3x Shoulder-stripe 1x Waved Umber 3x Nut-tree Tussock 5x Early Grey 1x Red-green Carpet 2x Oak Nycteoline 1x Spruce Carpet 2x Oak Beauty 1x Double-striped Pug 1x Purple Thorn 1x Pale Pinion 1x Twin-spotted Quaker

Micro Moths

22x Diurnea fagella 5x Eriocrania subpurpurella 1x Eriocrania semipurpurella 2x Agonopterix heracliana 2x Agonopterix arenella

Catch Report - Gadesprings (Watercress Beds) - 02/04/14 - 1x 125w MV Robinson Trap, 1x 40w Lucent Briefcase Trap and 1x 40w Actinic/26w Blacklight Trap

Lights run from Dusk until 12.00am

95 moths of 13 species

Macro Moths

5x Clouded Drab 4x Small Quaker 2x Hebrew Character 1x Engrailed 71x Common Quaker 2x Early Thorn 3x Brindled Pug 1x Early Grey 2x Oak Beauty 1x Double-striped Pug 1x Dotted Chestnut 1x Oak-tree Pug

Micro Moths