Sunday 30 March 2014

Lower Ochrwyth - 29 March




A warm evening - still 10c until after mid-night and catch influenced by this. 92 moths of 17 species:

Common Quaker 43
Hebrew Character 10
Early thorn 3
March moth 4
Twin spotted Quaker 5
Small Quaker 5
Early Grey
Chestnut 3
Oak Nycteoline 2
Early Tooth-striped 2
Clouded Drab 3
Red Chestnut
Double-striped Pug 2
Brindled Pug
Agonopterix Heracliana 5
Diurnea fagella

And saving the best to last - Dotted Chestnut (Martin Anthony has advised: 11th County record, first for the west of the county - further evidence to suggest species is spreading given that 9 of 11 records are post 2000).


Friday 28 March 2014

Lower Ochrwyth - 27 March

It was a cool evening and a bit windy, but gave the MV a go. Just 11 moths of 4 species: Early Grey x3; Hebrew Character x4; Small Quaker x1; and, Common Quaker x3. The forecast for the weekend looks promising with higher temps expected.

Thursday 20 March 2014

Goldcliff, 18th March 2014

I ran the MV as the forecast was for a min temp of 8 degrees C. In the morning I had 25 moths of 6 species:
early grey 2
common quaker 8
clouded drab 6
early thorn 1
Hebrew character 7
twin-spot quaker 1



Monday 10 March 2014

Lower Ochrwyth - 9 March

MV dusted off and run for a few hours last night: Oak Beauty x3, Engrailed, Clouded Drab x4 and Common Quaker x11.

Sunday 9 March 2014

5th to 8th March - Lower Ochrwyth

Things definitely started to pick up in the week with Hebrew Character, Shoulder Strip, Dotted Border, March Moth, Agonopterix heracliana and last night a Satellite. The sunny spring weather today also brought out a couple of male Brimstone butterflies and Small tortoiseshell during the bird ringing demonstration at Newport Wetlands.


Other news - last Friday at the Monmouthshire Moth & Butterfly Group AGM it was agreed that this blog should be adopted as the Group's official blog. More about this in future posts.

Saturday 1 March 2014

Monmouthshire Moth & Butterfly Group Annual Meeting Friday 7th March at The Royal British Legion Club, Usk, 7.30pm.

Anybody with an interest in butterflies and moths is welcome to attend our annual winter meeting


on Friday, 7th March 7.30pm start.


The venue is the Royal British Legion in Usk (Old Market Street, Usk, NP15 1AL).


After a short business session Martin Anthoney will give a talk on:

Lepidoptera Recording in Gwent – highlights of 2013 and targets for the future.