First night in France - 22/08/26

We had a lovely family holiday to the Herault Department of France which resides in the Occitanie region of Southern France.

We took a short flight to Carcassonne and headed North-east to our base in rural Felines Minervois, a stunning property sat on the edge of a valley that was bordered by lovely montane hills, on the furthest western edge of what would eventually turn into the Alps.

 

I had several setups with me, including two 40w Actinic vane sets, a mobile trap and a couple of led lamps that could be run off of powerbanks for several hours.

 

On the first night it was very warm and with slight humidity, the patio area where I was running two lamps was quite busy.

 

Below were some of the best species I saw on the first night on the 22nd of August.

There were several nights where I recorded some species that we are more familiar here in the UK, they were added onto the final list at the end.

 

Some identifications might be subjective and open for challenging. No specimens were retained as I was unable to bring anything home with me.

Where I am not sure of the species, I have used the Latin word confer, which means to compare or compare with.

It is placed between a genus and a species name (for example, Homoeosoma cf calcella) to signal that an insect specimen closely resembles a known species, but its exact identity has not yet been fully confirmed or verified.

 

About 90% of the moth species recorded were new to my records. 

 

Several stunning Tortrix moths were seen including the pink-flushed Propiromorpha rhodophana & one beautiful moth from the Cnephasia group, Xerocnephasia rigana.

 

Best moth of the night was the 2nd record for the Herault Department of France of the rather smart micro moth, Eteobalea dohrnii. A nationally scarce species, being only the 15th record for the whole of France!  

 

 

22/08/26 - Felines Minervois - Herault Department - 40w Actinic & 30w UV LED lamp

 

Macro Moths

Bryophila raptricula

Caradrina aspersa 

Devonshire Wainscot - Leucania putrescens

Dusky Carpet - Tephronia sepiaria 

Ecleora solieraria

Four-spotted - Tyta luctuosa 

Idaea filicata

Idaea infirmaria

Lorimer's Rustic - Caradrina flavirena

Marbled Green - Bryopsis muralis 

Odice jucunda

Portland Ribbon Wave - Idaea degeneraria 

Purple Marbled Eublemma ostrina 

Small Dusty Wave - Idaea seriata ssp canteneraria

Sorcerer - Aedia leucomelas

Spiny Hook-tip - Watsonalla uncinula

Synaphe punctalis (Another common moth, 10+)

The Passenger - Dysgonia algira 

 

Micro Moths

Aethes bilbaensis 

Ancylolomia tentaculella

Aporodes floralis 

Aproaerema cf patruella 

Bostra obsoletalis 

Cadra figulilella (Very common numbering 30+)

Denticera divisella  

Eteobalea dohrnii (2nd record for Herault Department) 

Euchromius cambridgei 

Homoeosoma cf calcella

Homoeosoma nimbella

Nemapogon nevadella

Neocochylis millierana 

Phalonidia contractana 

Propiromorpha rhodophana

Pyrausta sanguinalis

Scythris cf terrenella

Udea numeralis

Xerocnephasia rigana 

 

Ancylolomia tentaculella

Cadra figulilella

Caradrina aspersa

Denticera divisella

Devonshire Wainscot - Leucania putrescens

Ecleora solieraria

Eteobalea dohrnii

Nemapogon nevadella

Propiromorpha rhodophana

Spiny Hook-tip - Watsonalla uncinula

Xerocnephasia rigana

 

40w Actinic Travel Trap

Patio setup - 40w Actinic & 30w led

 

End of August brings the migrants

The last night of August 2026 was fairly good at my home trap, with no rain overnight (although there was a small chance of a localised shower early morning).

Less species than the last outing, but the quality improved and there were several species that didn't feature in that catch.

Tawny Wave was back again, a real beautiful coloured specimen as well.

 

There were 3 Tawny-speckled Pugs, and the most numerous macro moth was Flounced Rustic at 17. For the micros, Agriphila geniculea was well ahead of anything else, with 22 counted.

 

A 3rd yearly record of Blue Underwing was also great to see, somehow squeezing into my trap. 

 

Best moth of the night was a Scarce Bordered Straw, completing the trio of migrant Straws this year (Bordered & Eastern).

 

There were also several Rush Veneer (Nomophila noctuella) and 5 Rusty Dot-pearls (Udea ferrugalis), possibly the most I've ever had in one night. 

 

Not content with one new moth, a mint Feathered Gothic was also added to the year list, a moth that is scarce here and was last seen in 2023.

 

Just one more moth to make it equal to the best year. 

 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 676 species 

 

31/08/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

Feathered Gothic 1 [NFY]

Scarce Bordered Straw 1 [NFY] 

 

Tawny-speckled Pug

Feathered Gothic

Nomophila noctuella

Scarce Bordered Straw

Tawny Wave

 

Chippenham Fen - Field Trip - 12th August (The lost post)

I had processed all of the images for this trip report, but never got round to posting it.

A combination of preparing for our holiday and work I guess getting in the way.

Below are the results for my mid-August field trip, a very fruitful session with just 3 species shy of the big 200.

Some quality moths were seen including a cracking little male Antler Moth, a far from common moth here in Cambs. 

Phyllonorycter hilarella was a newbie for me as an adult. I had previously recorded the leaf mine many years ago.

A Nemapogon species was retained which bears resemblance to inconditella. Gen det will probably prove it to be cloacella! But you never know..

Also, a rather aberrant Argyresthia goedartella got the heart racing, thinking it might be the uber rare ivella, unfortunately it wasn't to be. 

 

Despite the seemingly perfect conditions for migrants, with a warm breeze coming from the south, they weren't as plentiful as hoped. A single Vestal was nice to see though. 

 

With the threat of wildfires now over, on my next visit, I will hopefully venture a little further into the reserve with a battery trap.

 

Until next time. 

 

12/08/26 - Chippenham Fen - East Cambridgeshire - 2x 125w Clear MV Trap, 1x 250w Clear Robinson Trap & 1x 30w LED Trap

Macro Moths

Antler Moth 
Barred Hook-tip 
Blackneck 
Bright-line Brown-eye 
Brimstone Moth 
Broad-barred White 
Brown-veined Wainscot 
Bulrush Wainscot 
Burnished Brass 
Chinese Character 
Clay Triple-lines 
Cloaked Minor 
Clouded Border 
Common Carpet 
Common Rustic 
Common Wainscot 
Common Wave 
Common White Wave 
Copper Underwing 
Coronet 
Delicate 
Dingy Footman 
Dingy Shell 
Dotted Fan-foot
Double-striped Pug 
Dusky Thorn 
Engrailed 
Flame Shoulder 
Flounced Rustic 
Gold Spot 
Grey Dagger 
Gypsy Moth 
Iron Prominent 
Jersey Tiger 
Large Yellow Underwing 
Latticed Heath 
Least Yellow Underwing 
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 
Lesser Cream Wave 
Light Emerald 
Lime Hawk-moth 
Lime-speck Pug 
Maiden's Blush 
Maiden's Blush 
Maple Prominent 
Marbled Beauty 
Marbled Clover 
Nutmeg 
Oak Hook-tip 
Orange Swift 
Pale Mottled Willow 
Peach Blossom 
Pinion-streaked Snout 
Poplar Hawk-moth 
Pretty Chalk Carpet 
Riband Wave 
Ruby Tiger 
Sallow Kitten 
Satin Wave 
Setaceous Hebrew Character 
Shuttle-shaped Dart 
Silky Wainscot 
Silver Barred 
Silver Y 
Single-dotted Wave 
Small Dusty Wave 
Small Fan-footed Wave 
Small Mottled Willow 
Small Rivulet 
Small Rufous 
Small Waved Umber 
Snout 
Spectacle 
Straw Dot 
Straw Underwing 
Swallow Prominent 
Tawny Wave 
Tawny-barred Angle 
Tawny-speckled Pug 
Treble-bar 
Turnip Moth 
Vestal
Vine's Rustic 
V-pug 
White Ermine 
White-line Dart 
White-point 
Willow Beauty 
Wormwood Pug 
Yellow Shell 

Micro Moths

Acleris comariana/laterana 
Acompsia cinerella 
Adaina microdactyla
Aethes rubigana 
Agapeta hamana 
Agonopterix alstromeriana 
Agonopterix arenella 
Agonopterix propinquella 
Agriphila geniculea 
Agriphila selasella 
Agriphila straminella 
Agriphila tristella 
Anania coronata
Anania perlucidalis 
Ancylosis oblitella 
Apotomis betuletana 
Apotomis capreana 
Aproaerema anthyllidella 
Archips podana 
Argyresthia albistria 
Argyresthia goedartella 
Argyresthia semifusca
Bactra lancealana
Blastobasis adustella
Bryotropha basaltinella
Bucculatrix frangulella
Calamotropha paludella 
Caloptilia honoratella
Caloptilia stigmatella
Carcina quercana 
Cataclysta lemnata 
Catoptria pinella 
Celypha lacunana 
Celypha rosaceana 
Celypha striana 
Cochylidia implicatana 
Coleophora alcyonipennella/frischella 
Coleophora hemerobiella 
Coleophora vestianiella 
Crombrugghia distans
Cydalima perspectalis 
Cydia amplana 
Cydia fagiglandana 
Cydia splendana 
Dichrorampha simpliciana 
Ectoedemia decentella 
Elophila nymphaeata 
Emmelina monodactyla 
Emmetia marginea 
Endothenia oblongana 
Endrosis sarcitrella 
Epermenia chaerophyllella 
Ephestia sp 
Epinotia bilunana 
Epinotia nisella 
Epinotia ramella
Epinotia tenerana 
Epiphyas postvittana 
Ethmia dodecea 
Eucosma conterminana 
Eucosma hohenwartiana 
Eucosma obumbratana 
Eudonia mercurella 
Eudonia pallida 
Euzophera pinguis 
Evergestis forficalis 
Evergestis limbata 
Galleria mellonella 
Hofmannophila pseudospretella 
Homoeosoma nebulella 
Homoeosoma sinuella 
Hypsopyqgia costalis 
Lobesia abscisana 
Lyonetia clerkella 
Lyonetia prunifoliella 
Mompha subbistrigella 
Monopis weaverella 
Neocochylis dubitana 
Neocochylis hybridella 
Neocochylis molliculana
Nomophila noctuella 
Notocelia uddmanniana 
Oncocera semirubella 
Ostrinia nubilalis 
Pammene aurita 
Pandemis corylana 
Parapoynx stratiotata 
Paraswammerdamia albicapitella 
Parectopa ononidis
Parornix sp 
Patania ruralis 
Phyllonorycter geniculella
Phyllonorycter hilarella
Phyllonorycter rajella
Pyrausta aurata 
Pyrausta despicata 
Pyrausta purpuralis 
Rhodophaea formosa 
Scrobipalpa atriplicella
Scrobipalpa ocellatella 
Scythropia crataegella 
Sitochroa verticalis 
Tinagma ocnerostomella 
Tinea trinotella 
Tischeria eklebladella 
Udea ferrugalis 
Yponomeuta cag/mal/pad

 

Vestal

125w MV Robinson Trap

Antler Moth

Argyresthia goedartella

Argyresthia semifusca

Bucculatrix frangulella

Caloptilia stigmatella

Dotted Fan-foot

Parectopa ononidis

Phyllonorycter hilarella

Phyllonorycter rajella

 

 

 

Back from hols and I certainly didn't bring the weather back with me!

Returned from our holiday to the Herault area of the South of France just yesterday, and after leaving temperatures ranging between 29 to 33 degrees, it was a bit of a shock rocking up at Stansted to gloomy weather and much cooler temperatures!

I did some trapping at the Gite whilst I was there and ran a 40w Actinic for 6 nights, some posts coming up soon!

Returning back home I was eager to setup the home trap and see what turns up, after more than a week off from trapping.

Not much change yet it appears! Lots of the usual end of summer fare, all of which have turned up already this year.

With lows of 17 degrees (I've come from lows of between 18c and 23c, so not too dissimilar) it looked like a rather nice and warm night.

And that is where the positives ended... we had rain, a lot of rain and it also chucked it down overnight and my garden was soggy and boggy.

 

There were a good amount of moths though, not being put off by the wet conditions and 47 species were recorded.

 

I didn't think there was anything new amongst it all, but I was wrong. A pretty Beautiful China-mark was potted up this morning in the dark, and is the 674th species for the year.

 

Hopefully a drier (but cooler) night tonight.

 

We'll see. 

 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 674 species 

 

29/08/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

Blue Underwing 1
Brimstone Moth 1
Centre-barred Sallow 1
Clouded Border 1
Delicate 1
Flounced Rustic 20
Large Yellow Underwing 1
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing 1
Lime-speck Pug 2
Orange Swift 10
Pale Mottled Willow 2
Satin Wave 1
Setaceous Hebrew Character 1
Silver Y 1
Small Blood-vein 1
Small Dusty Wave 1
Small Mottled Willow 5
Small Ranunculus 1
Spectacle 1
Straw Underwing 15
Square-spot Rustic 2
Turnip Moth 1
Vine's Rustic 4
White-point 1
Willow Beauty 3
Yellow Shell 1

Micro Moths 

Nymphula nitidulata 1 [NFY]
Acleris rhombana 1
Agriphila geniculea 15
Agriphila inquinatella 1
Agriphila tristella 5
Amblyptilia acanthadactyla 2
Ancylosis oblitella 1
Archips podana 1
Bucculatrix cristatella 1
Celypha striana 1
Cydalima perspectalis 2
Emmelina monodactyla 2
Epiphyas postvittana 3
Evergestis limbata 3
Nomophila noctuella 1
Parapoynx stratiotata 4
Pyrausta aurata 2
Pyralis farinalis 1
Scrobipalpa ocellatella 1
Udea ferrugalis 1
Yponomeuta evonynella 1

Nymphula nitidulata

 

Last post before hols

That is it now until I get back from holiday.

Below is a catch from the 17th of August. 

I haven't bothered at all since Monday night, as we have had much needed downpours, typically at dusk!

Plus I'm already in holiday mode and looking forward to some Southern European moths! 

 

Monday's Moth of the night was a rather scratched up Six-striped Rustic, a rare moth in my garden, this being only the 2nd garden record and last seen three years ago.

 

Big ole' Blue was back once more, a quick camera shot of it on the house wall was the best I could manage, as it flew off rapidly when I tried to net it, doh!

 

Centre-barred Sallow was my earliest garden record by a week, this isn't unsurprising as I am usually still away on holiday this time of year.

 

I just need 4 more moth species for the year to level my best year last year, so yes...2026 will be the best year in my garden for moths. Period! 

 

One more field trip still to write up, which may have to wait until my return.

 

Happy mothing! 

 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 673 species 

 

17/08/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Blue Underwing Clifden nonpareil 1 [NFY]

Centre-barred Sallow 1 [NFY] 

Six-striped Rustic 1 [NFY] 

Micro Moths

Catoptria falsella 1 [NFY]

 

Blue Underwing Clifden nonpareil

Bucculatrix bechsteinella

Catoptria falsella

Centre-barred Sallow

Evergestis extimalis

Hellinsia carphodactyla

Six-striped Rustic

 

A colourful bunch

Frosted Orange was the only new macro moth on Friday night, but what a good looking moth it is.

A couple of good micros also showed up, Acleris rhombana & Bucculatrix cidarella, both of which are less than annual.

A second beautiful Chrysoesthia drurella was also very welcome.

Amazingly Agonopterix arenella was new for the year! A moth I usually see between March and May, and I quite often get a couple of them during this period every year.

Numbers dropping now, with around 40 species on a good night.

Not much trapping now as I ease up ready for holiday trapping! 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 669 species 

 

14/08/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths

Frosted Orange 1 [NFY]

Micro Moths

Acleris rhombana 1 [NFY]

Agonopterix arenella 1 [NFY] 

Bucculatrix cidarella 1 [NFY] 

 

Acleris rhombana

Agonopterix arenella

Bucculatrix cidarella

Chrysoesthia drurella

Frosted Orange

Silky Wainscot

 

 

 

 

The last big night of 2026?

With lows of 22 degrees on Thursday night, the trap was very busy and I took advantage of this by staying up late and rising early.

Possibly the last big numbers night, judging by recent catches. 

 

10 new species were added to the year list, owing to just how important working a trapping area on a regular basis through the evening.

There was also one new species for the garden, a miniscule Phyllonorycter schreberella that magnified becomes a really dazzling little moth.

 

As well as the very pretty Phyllonorycter schreberella, another tiny but beautifully marked species was also very welcome, a 3rd garden record of Cosmopterix pulchrimella.  

 

Highlight macro was a Plain Wave, not common in this area and only my 2nd garden record.

 

I am a sucker for a Caloptilia, I think I just love them because they are so quirky the way they sit, and they can also be a real challenge to photograph. Thankfully this rather dark unicolorous semifascia was on it's best behaviour.

 

A nice dark Pale Oak Beauty was also noteworthy, having only a couple of 2nd brood August records to my name. 

 

All in all 130 species in my garden on a mid-August night was certainly quite remarkable.

 

Things really fined down after this. 

 

Moth garden list for 2026 stands at 665 species 

 

13/08/26 - Back Garden - Fordham - East Cambridgeshire - Actinic Trap

 

Macro Moths 

Barred Hook-tip 1 [NFY]
Clay Triple-lines 1 [NFY]
Orange Swift 3 [NFY]
Plain Wave 1 [NFY]
Brimstone Moth 
Broad-barred White 
Buff-tip 
Burnished Brass 
Cabbage Moth 
Chinese Character 
Clay 
Cloaked Minor 
Clouded Border 
Common Carpet 
Common Rustic 
Common Wave
Common Wainscot 
Copper Underwing 
Coxcomb Prominent 
Delicate
Double-striped Pug 
Dusky Thorn 
Elephant Hawk-moth 
Flame Shoulder 
Flounced Rustic 
Garden Carpet 
Grey Dagger 
Gypsy Moth
Heart & Dart 
Jersey Tiger 
Large Yellow Underwing 
Latticed Heath 
Least Carpet 
Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
Light Emerald 
Lime-speck Pug 
Lychnis 
Marbled Clover 
Nutmeg 87
Pale Mottled Willow 
Pale Oak Beauty
Pale Prominent 
Poplar Grey 
Riband Wave 
Rustic
Sallow Kitten 
Satin Wave
Scalloped Oak 
Scorched Carpet 2
Setaceous Hebrew Character 
Shark 3
Shuttle-shaped Dart 
Silver Y 
Single-dotted Wave 
Small Blood-vein 
Small Mottled Willow 
Straw Underwing 
Swallow Prominent 
Square-spot Rustic 
Tawny Wave 
Treble-bar 
Tree-lichen Beauty 
Turnip Moth 
Vine's Rustic 
White-point 
White-line Dart 
Willow Beauty 

Micro Moths 

Adaina microdactyla 1 [NFY]
Bedellia somnulentella 1 [NFY]
Cosmopterix pulchrimella 1 [NFY]
Etainia louisella/sericopoza 1 [NFY]
Phyllonorycter schreberella 1 [NFG]
Ptocheuusa paupella 1 [NFY]
Acleris variegana 
Acrobasis advenella 
Agonopterix alstromeriana 
Agriphila geniculea 
Agriphila straminella 
Agriphila tristella 
Alucita hexadactyla 
Anania coronata 
Blastobasis adustella 
Bryotropha basaltinella 
Bryotropha senectella 
Bryotropha terrella 
Cameraria ohridella 
Carcina quercana 3
Celypha rosaceana 5
Celypha striana 
Cochylidia implicatana 
Coptoptriche marginea 
Coleophora alcyonipennella frischella 
Cydalima perspectalis 
Cydia amplana 
Cydia fagiglandana 
Cydia pomonella 
Cydia splendana 
Dichrorampha petiverella 
Elachista stabilella 
Emmelina monodactyla 
Endotricha flammealis 
Epermenia chaerophyllella 
Epiphyas postvittana 
Evergestis forficalis 
Evergestis limbata 5
Galleria mellonella 
Gelechia senticetella 
Hofmannophila pseudospretella 
Homoeosoma sinuella 
Homoeosoma nebulella 3
Hypsopyqgia costalis 
Lobesia abscisana 
Monopis crocicapitella 
Neocochylis dubitana 
Neocochylis hybridella 
Neocochylis molliculana 
Nomophila noctuella 
Ostrinia nubilalis 
Oxyptilus distans 
Parapoynx stratiotata 
Phycita roborella 
Plutella xylostella 
Pyrausta aurata 
Scrobipalpa ocellatella 
Scythropia crataegella 8
Sitochroa verticalis 
Tinea trinotella 
Udea ferrugalis 
Yponomeuta evonynella 
Yponomeuta cag mal pad

 

Plain Wave

Phyllonorycter schreberella

Pale Oak Beauty

Phyllonorycter schreberella

Some recent dissections confirmed

I had a batch of dissections back from Peter Hall recently who kindly offered his services to check a few potentially good moths for Cambs.

They were as follows 

1. Blastobasis vittata - Wicken Fen 9th July 2026 - NEW TO CAMBS - A species I have not previously seen, when I saw the moth on the edge of an egg tray, and upon comparing it to a couple of adustella on the same night, the differences under a head torch were slight, but apparent enough to investigate further.

It is a new moth for the Wicken Fen fauna list. 

2. Saltern Ear - Wicken Fen 9th July 2026 - NEW TO CAMBS? (There is a photo of a specimen from David Hopkins on the website so maybe the record is currently pending) - On the same night as the odd looking Blastobasis, was a classic looking Saltern Ear, a moth I am familiar with on the coasts of Norfolk. For me, it is quite easy to separate potential candidates of Large/Crinan/Saltern Ear in the field based on size and general wing length jizz. Ear Moths are extremely squat in appearance. The other 3 are much more elongate. Potted up and with the abdomen sent off to Peter, it was confirmed as a Saltern Ear, a male in this instance. It is a new moth for the Wicken Fen fauna list.

3. Choristoneura diversana - Ditton Park Wood 26th June & 5th July 2026 - The Wood Tortrix or Forest Tortrix is a rather rare resident here in Cambs, with the last record some 15 years ago from, you guessed it.. Wicken Fen. Previous to that there are a spate of records from the 70's. A new moth for me, and to get two within a couple of weeks could answer the question that this moth is established locally still. Further trapping efforts next year will be interesting.

4. Coleophora caespititiella - Fordham 2nd June 2025 - A scarce Coleophora in the county, though nationally common and probably under-recorded in Cambs. It is yet another new species of Coleophora for the garden with just 6 previous records for the VC.

5. Coleophora pennella - Fordham 30th May 2025 - 2ND FOR CAMBS - After taking the first county record in 2024, I retained a similar looking Coleophora last May. A year or so later the record was indeed correct and verified. Amazing to have both records in the garden. I would have thought that searching a few Bugloss rich areas would throw up a case or two. Unfortunately the biggest area just outside of the village, where I have seen it growing in profusion, is on a bloody roundabout!

6. Depressaria douglasella - Fordham 1st July 2026 - NEW TO CAMBS - Pretty much inseparable from Depressaria pulcherrimella, so I had to send away for dissection. Either species would be new to Cambs. I did favour douglasella on external characteristics, so I was pleased that my initial hunch was correct. A new moth for me.

7. Epiblema cnicicolana - Fordham 23rd June 2026 - 2ND FOR CAMBS - After taking the first for the county back in 2021 at nearby Chippenham Fen, I potted up a very similar tortrix moth on the night of the 23rd of June. On closer inspection with a hand lens, it looked bang on for it. Unfortunately it was another that had to be dissected, being so scarce away from Wales and the south coast. To get two locally suggests that it maybe breeding in extremely small densities, and it is possible that some previous specimens of Epiblema cirsiana/stictiana have been identified incorrectly.

8. Gynnidomorpha alismana - Fordham 10th July - Not as scarce as previous moths that were sent for dissection, nevertheless this was still a cracking good addition to the garden list. The main reasons for dissection was it's size, more akin to vectisana/minimana, both very rare in the county. It turns out that it was a male, and probably the reason why it was so small (As the females weigh in a shade bigger in general). 

Saltern Ear

Blastobasis vittata

Choristoneura diversana

Coleophora caespititiella

Coleophora pennella

Depressaria douglasella

Epiblema cnicicolana

Gynnidomorpha alismana