National Moth Night

With last night officially being National Moth Night, it would have been rude not to put the trap on, so on it went! The morning had already started well yesterday with a total of 3 Convolvulus Hawkmoths which were all docile enough to be coerced into photographic poses, as well as being settled securely camoflaged for the day.

Convolvulus Hawkmoth...nice


Later in the morning I had a couple of hours at the bottom of the garden scanning for raptors and managed a respectable 4 Common Buzzard, 2 Hobby and a Marsh Harrier moving east.

Hobby...distant!


Back to National Moth Night, and it proved a well worth exercise to run the trap all night, as along side the expected Large Yellow Underwings and Setaceous Hebrew Characters was another Convolvulus Hawkmoth, a Grey Pine Carpet*, a Large Wainscot* and best of all 2 fabulous Merville du Jour, the latter being a real jewl of a beast, judge for yourselves! GYL 176

Grey Pine Carpet


Large Wainscot


Alongside the smaller Common Wainscot


Merville du Jour ( the translation appropriately being 'Wonder of the Day'!)