I normally take this week off each year to accommodate a couple of family birthdays, the weather is usually good, and has also proved excellent for moths. This week has been no exception. The only downside is that after 13 years of heavy use my generator failed last night, so no records from what would have been the fifth night in a row out trapping.
The trapping events for the week all in VC62 were as follows, including the results and highlights:
26 May - Brafferton Spring, 142 moths of 46 species
 |
| 28.019 Esperia sulphurella |
 |
| 49.307 Spotted Shoot Moth Rhyacionia pinivorana |
 |
| 71.005 Sallow Kitten Furcula furcula |
 |
| 70.224 Scorched Wing Plagodis dolabraria |
28 May - Hood Hill, Kilburn. 566 moths of 81 species
 |
| 70.151 Foxglove Pug Eupithecia pulchellata |
 |
| 74.009 Oak Nycteoline Nycteola revayana |
 |
| 73.046 Poplar Grey Subacronicta megacephala |
 |
| 73.001 Spectacle Abrostola tripartita |
29 May - Brafferton Spring, 228 moths of 58 species
One of the highlights was a Pine Hawk-moth, my first in Yorkshire following a handful seen in Dorset. Photo taken by phone.
 |
| 69.007 Pine Hawk-moth Sphinx pinastri |
This fantastic micro is only 6mm in length and is one of two very closely related species. The extent of the yellow almost reaching the cillia at the tip is in favour of C. alchimiella, however, gen.det. would be required to be 100%.
 |
| Caloptilia alchimiella/robustella |
30 May - Hood Hill, Kilburn, 454 moths of 66 species
 |
| 73.016 Beautiful Golden Y Autographa pulchrina |
Blomer's Rivulets are pretty scarce nationally and in Yorkshire, but have been regular at the Kilburn sites, and there were ten caught on this occasion.
 |
| 70.116 Blomer's Rivulet Venusia blomeri |
31 May - Pilmoor, 185 moths of 50 species
Rather than the usual trapping on the old railway line I decided to try out on the open heath area, one trap under an oak on the edge of the wood and the Robinson sited in the open next to the rushy pool. The numbers and variety were initially disappointing but it was soon evident that the quality was exceptional.
One of the few coleophora that can be identified from its markings, and is found in heathery areas.
 |
| 37.055 Coleophora pyrrhulipennella |
The next four are rarities in VC62, and being micros are small in size, the first is only 5-6mm in length and the last is a mere 3mm long.
 |
| 49.184 Lobesia reliquana |
 |
| 49.298 Notocelia trimaculana |
 |
| 49.240 Epinotia immundana |
 |
| 08.005 Phylloporia bistrigella |
A fantastic few days trapping culminating in my trusty generator conking out last night and also knocking over the tripod while setting up and breaking one of my bulbs...
