Back Mothing Again

After a couple of days of gale force winds, where I felt it was pointless putting the moth trap out, the wind finally eased up last night and so the moth trap was illuminated in the back garden. The only downer was the rain, but with the new shelter I still managed to lure a few moths into the trap.

Last nights haul was 51 moths of 18 species, with Heart & Darts peaking at 31 moths. First for the year were The Magpie Abraxas grossulariata, Small Magpie Anania hortulata and Riband Wave Idaea aversata. And I even had two new moths for my Port & Wey moth list, a Garden Mompha Mompha subbistrigella and a Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni. The latter a scarce immigrant. I also had an Ephestia sp. but I have no idea which species it is.

Key
   *First for year
**New for P&W moth list

2026 Moth List Here.

Moths recorded:

#1         Ox-tongue Conch Neocochylis molliculana x1

#2     **Garden Mompha Mompha subbistrigella x1

#3         Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis x31

#4         Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata x1

#5         Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata x1

#6       *The Magpie Abraxas grossulariata x1

#7        *Small Magpie Anania hortulata x1

#8          Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta x4

#9          Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg. x3

#10    **Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni x1

#11        Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha x2

#12      *Riband Wave Idaea aversata x1

#13        Vine's Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua x3

#14        Common Swift Korscheltellus lupulina x1

#15        Tortricid sp. x1

#16        Ephestia sp. x1

#17        moth sp. x1

#18        moth sp. x1

#1 Ox-tongue Conch Neocochylis molliculana

#2 **Garden Mompha Mompha subbistrigella 

#3 Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis. A light form which google says is typically a male......

#3 Another male perhaps! Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis.

#3 Another Heart & Dart Agrotis exclamationis possibly the darker form of a female.

#4 Common Marbled Carpet Dysstroma truncata

#5 Clouded Silver Lomographa temerata

#6 *The Magpie Abraxas grossulariata

#7 *Small Magpie Anania hortulata

#8 Shuttle-shaped Dart Agrotis puta 

#9 Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg.

#9 Another Marbled Minor agg. Oligia strigilis agg.

#10 **Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni

#10 **Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni

#11 Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha

#11 Another Dark Arches Apamea monoglypha

#12 *Riband Wave Idaea aversata

#13 Vine's Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua

#13 Another Vine's Rustic Hoplodrina ambigua looking a bit worn.

#14 Common Swift Korscheltellus lupulina

#15 A very worn Tortricid sp.

#16 An Ephestia sp.

#16  Ephestia sp.

#17 Whatever it is. It's very worn!!

#18 And another very worn moth. 

More on:

#2    Garden Mompha Mompha subbistrigella UK Moths here and Dorset Moths here.

#10  Ni Moth Trichoplusia ni UK Moths here and Dorset Moths here.

UK Moths here and Dorset Moths here.

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Also in the trap was a hoverfly, an ichneumon wasp and a plant bug.

A Migrant Hoverfly Meliscaeva auricollis. aka Spotted Thintail

Not much to see, but most likely a Nocturnal Ichneumon Wasp Enicospilus ramidulus, as these wasps are most often observed around lights at night.

A Trivial Plant Bug Closterotomus rivialis