5 October 2016

5 October 2016 – Flying Tonight

Flying tonight

Another clear sky and another overnight drop in temperature.  Hopes were not high for last night’s trap, especially as I realised at 9.30 that I had forgotten to set it.  The head-torch battery had run down to produce barely a glimmer but, as I thought I knew my way around the garden and quarry, I set off with the extension cables. However I discovered that I didn’t know my way in the dark and was sufficiently disorientated to have to retrace my steps using the cable as Ariadne’s thread.

The photograph above shows the number of moths found in the trap. These six species can be found in the top section of the Yorkshire Moths Flying Tonight website – that is, they are all common. From the top in descending order they are : Yellow-line Quaker, Beaded Chestnut, Green-brindled Crescent, Angle Shades, Dark Chestnut and Red-line Quaker.  The Dark Chestnut is the least common in Yorkshire but it has been a regular visitor at Shandy Hall since this blog was started.

I pick out the moth below for its exceptional beauty. 

Red-line Quaker (Agrochola lota)